Chapter: 06. Major Crops
A. Choose the correct option.
Which of these is not a cereal? The three main growing seasons in India are rabi, kharif and zaid. The fibre crops in India are cotton and jute. Tea and coffee are beverages. Latex comes from a plant. B. Match the following.
Cereals - (iv) Food crops Zaid crops - (v) Grown between March and June Oilseeds - (i) Cash crops Cotton - (ii) Oldest fibre known to mankind India - (iii) Largest producer of jute in the world C. Fill in the blanks.
There are three main crop growing seasons in India- kharif, rabi and zaid. Cash crops are grown for cash or for commercial purposes. Bagasse is the crushed sugar cane fibre that is used for the manufacture of paper and fibre boards. Use of High Yielding Variety (HYV) of seeds led to a spectacular increase in crop production in India in the 1960s. The Green Revolution led to farmers taking loans and incurring large debts. D. State whether the following are true or false. Rewrite the false statements correctly.
India is the largest producer of rice in the world, followed by Bangladesh. False. China is the world's largest rice-producing country, followed by India. Tea is a perennial plant that grows well in both tropical and subtropical regions. In India, cotton is a rabi crop requiring a uniformly high temperature from 21°C to 30° C. False. In India, cotton is a kharif crop requiring a uniformly high temperature from 21°C to 30°C. Cash crops are primarily grown for cash or for commercial purposes. Sugar cane is a zaid crop and needs a hot and humid climate. False. Sugar cane is a kharif crop and needs a hot and humid climate. E. Explain the differences between each of the following pairs.
Rice: A kharif crop primarily grown in tropical and subtropical regions. It requires high temperatures (21°C to 30°C) and abundant rainfall (150-200 cm), thriving in fertile, clayey soil that holds water. It is a staple food for over 50% of the world's population. Wheat: A rabi (winter) crop grown mainly in temperate regions. It requires cooler temperatures (10°C-15°C) for sowing and warmer temperatures (20°C-25°C) during ripening, with moderate rainfall (50-100cm). It grows best in well-drained alluvial soil, loams, and clay loams. Cotton: A fibre crop grown primarily for its soft, fluffy fibres used to make fabric. It is a kharif crop in India requiring uniformly high temperatures (21°C-30°C) and 50-80 cm of well-distributed rainfall. It is best grown in black, clayey lava soil known for water retention. Jute: A long, soft vegetable fibre spun into strong but coarse threads, also a kharif crop. It requires a hot and humid climate (24°C-35°C), high humidity (80-90%), and heavy rainfall (>15 cm) with plenty of water at growth and harvest. It thrives in alluvial soil of flood plains and deltas and is known as the 'golden fibre'. Cash Crop: Crops grown primarily for sale in the market to generate income or profits for the farmer. Examples include sugar cane, cotton, jute, and various oilseeds. Food Crop: Crops grown primarily to provide food for people, for direct consumption by the farmer, their family, or livestock. Examples include cereals like rice and wheat, millets, pulses, and spices. F. Answer the following questions in brief.
Give one example of a kharif crop. Rice (or Maize, Jute, Cotton, Sugarcane, Soybean) Name any two rice-producing regions in India. The Gangetic Plains, The Brahmaputra Plains (or Eastern coastal regions, Western coastal plains) Give two examples of cash crops. Sugar cane, Cotton (or Jute, Mustard, Groundnut) Give any two climatic conditions suitable for the cultivation of cotton in India. A uniformly high temperature from 21°C to 30°C (with daytime temperature above 26°C for ripening and boll bursting). About 50 to 80 cm of well-distributed rainfall. Where do we generally find tea plantations? Tea plantations are generally found on hill slopes where water does not stagnate. Name two major coffee producing states of India. Karnataka, Kerala (or Tamil Nadu) What are high yielding varieties of seeds? High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds are genetically improved varieties of seeds that result in a spectacular increase in crop production compared to traditional seeds. G. Answer the following questions.
Differentiate between rabi and kharif crops. Kharif Crops: These crops are grown from July when the monsoon rains begin and are harvested in November when it is dry. They are primarily grown during the rainy season (June to October). Examples include rice, maize, jute, and cotton. Rabi Crops: These are winter crops grown in October and November and are harvested around February and March. Examples include wheat, barley, peas, and mustard. Give three conditions necessary for wheat cultivation. Temperature: It is mainly grown in winter with temperatures around 10°C to 15°C for sowing, and requires warm sunny temperatures between 20°C and 25°C during ripening. Rainfall: About 50 to 100 cm of rainfall during the growing season is needed, with around 80 cm annual rainfall being ideal. Frost or hailstorms at ripening can destroy it. Soil: Well-drained alluvial soil is good, and it grows best in well-drained loams and clay loams. What are the different products that are made from sugar cane? Sugar cane juice (which can be consumed directly). Molasses (a by-product of sugar refining). Ethanol (used for fuel and industrial alcohol). Bagasse (the crushed fibrous matter, used for manufacturing paper and fibre boards). (i) Tea plantations are found on hill slopes. Tea bushes require 150-200 cm of rainfall, but the water must not stagnate around the roots. Hill slopes facilitate natural drainage, preventing waterlogging which is detrimental to tea bushes, thus making them ideal locations for tea plantations. (ii) Jute is called the 'golden fibre'. Jute is called the 'golden fibre' because of its shiny, golden-brown colour and natural lustre. Give three conditions required for growing coffee. Climate: Coffee plants thrive in a hot and humid climate. Temperature: The average temperature must be between 10°C to 15°C , and it must not exceed 30°C. Rainfall: It requires rainfall between 150 cm and 200 cm. Shade: Coffee is generally grown under large shady trees as strong, direct sun is not good for the crop. Soil: The soil must be loamy and well-drained, containing plenty of iron and calcium. Slopes: Like tea, coffee is grown on slopes to ensure water does not stagnate. (Any three of the above points are valid.) Give any three climatic conditions most suitable for growing rubber. Temperature: Rubber grows in tropical countries with average temperatures between 20°C and 35°C. Rainfall: It requires heavy rainfall, typically between 200 cm and 300 cm annually. Humidity: Rubber requires over 75 per cent humidity. Soil: Well-drained loamy or laterite soil, often found on hill slopes to ensure water does not stagnate. (Any three of the above points are valid.) List three main features of the Green Revolution in India. It led to a shift from traditional agricultural practices to modern and scientific methods of cultivation. The introduction of genetically improved High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds of wheat, rice, and maize was a central component. There was a significant expansion in the network of canals for irrigation, as HYV seeds require abundant water. It led to the expansion of the fertilizer and pesticide manufacturing industries. Indian farmers had opportunities for multiple cropping, which significantly increased their income. (Any three of the above points are valid.) Why was the Green Revolution not beneficial for poor farmers? The benefits of the Green Revolution were largely confined to rich farmers because poor farmers could not afford to buy the expensive new varieties of seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and modern machinery like tractors and threshers. The HYV crops required abundant water supply, and arranging the means of irrigation was a time-consuming and expensive exercise that poor farmers struggled to manage. Farmers were encouraged to take loans to invest in the new technology, but many poor farmers ended up incurring large debts, especially if their crops failed, without adequate financial protection. The increased use of machinery replaced manual labour, leading to an increase in unemployment among agricultural workers and an influx of these workers from villages to cities, contributing to urban overcrowding. H. Map work
(Since I cannot provide a physical map, I will list the states/regions for each category that would be marked.)
Any two rice-growing states in deep green West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh (or Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, etc.) Any two wheat-growing states in brown Uttar Pradesh, Punjab (or Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, etc.) Sugar cane-growing regions in light green Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra (or Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc.) Cotton-growing regions in grey Maharashtra, Gujarat (or Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, etc.) Major jute-growing states in yellow West Bengal, Bihar (or Assam, Odisha) Major tea-growing regions in pink Assam, West Bengal (Darjiling) (or Tamil Nadu, Kerala, etc.) A coffee-growing state in orange Karnataka (or Kerala, Tamil Nadu) A rubber-growing state in blue Kerala (or Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya) I. Source-based questions.
Identify the agricultural movement. The agricultural movement shown and discussed is the Green Revolution. Who supervised this movement? In India, the introduction of new high-yielding varieties of seeds under the Green Revolution was supervised by the Nobel Peace Prize-winning agronomist, Dr. Norman Borlaug. Dr. M. S. Swaminathan is also known as the 'Father of the Green Revolution' in India for his significant contributions. List any four demerits of this movement. The benefits were largely confined to rich farmers who could afford the expensive seeds, fertilizers, and machinery, leaving poor farmers disadvantaged. The new crops required abundant water supply, making irrigation costly and time-consuming, and increasing water-related stress. The cost of fertilizers, pesticides, and machinery increased, going beyond the reach of the average farmer and leading to increased debt. New machinery replaced manual labour, contributing to unemployment in rural areas and an influx of workers to already crowded cities. There was an extreme dependence on artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which depleted the natural rejuvenating capacity of the soil, polluted farm water, harmed biodiversity, and led to a proven rise in health issues like cancer.
Answers to textbook exercises