class8 question answer ch1

Question 1: Fill in the Blanks

• (a) The same kind of plants grown and cultivated on a large scale at a place is called crop.

• (b) The first step before growing crops is preparation of the soil.

• (c) Damaged seeds would float on top of the water.

• (d) For growing a crop, sufficient sunlight and nutrients from the soil are essential.

Question 2: Match Items

• Match Column A with Column B:

  • (i) Kharif crops

    • (e) Paddy and maize

  • (ii) Rabi crops

    • (d) Wheat, gram, pea

  • (iii) Chemical fertilizers

    • (b) Urea and superphosphate

  • (iv) Organic manure

    • (c) Animal excreta, cow dung, urine and plant waste

Question 3: Examples

• (a) Kharif crops: Paddy and maize

• (b) Rabi crops: Wheat and gram

Question 4: Write a Paragraph on Each Topic

• Preparation of Soil:

  • Soil preparation includes tilling and loosening the soil, allowing it to penetrate deep so it can breathe easily even when deep. This must be done before growing a crop.

• Sowing:

  • Sowing is the process of putting seeds into the soil. A funnel-shaped tool is used for this purpose; nowadays, farmers often use a seed drill attached to a tractor for uniform sowing at the correct depth.

• Weeding:

  • Weeding is the process of removing unwanted and undesirable plants that grow alongside crops (weeds).

• Threshing:

  • Threshing separates the grain seeds from the chaff.

Question 5: Difference Between Fertilizers and Manure

• Fertilizers:

  • Prepared in factories, made from inorganic salts.

  • Highly rich in plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

  • Does not provide humus to the soil.

• Manures:

  • Prepared from natural substances obtained from the decomposition of cattle dung, human waste, and plant residues.

  • Relatively less rich in plant nutrients.

  • Provides a lot of humus to the soil.

Question 6: Wheat in Kharif Season

• If wheat is sown in the kharif season, production will decrease as wheat is typically sown from November/December to March/April.

Question 7: Irrigation

• Irrigation is the process of supplying water to crops at regular intervals.

• Methods of Irrigation that Conserve Water:

  1. Sprinkle System:

     • Employs vertical pipes with rotating nozzles, ideal for uneven and sandy land with limited water.

  2. Drip Irrigation System:

     • Involves pipes or tubes with tiny holes that deliver water directly to the roots, minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency.

Question 8: Weeds and Control Methods

• Weeds are unwanted and undesirable plants growing naturally with crops. Control methods include:

  • Tilling before sowing to uproot and kill weeds, which can decompose and mix with the soil.

  • Using herbicides is another method to eliminate weeds.

Question 9: Continuous Plantation of Crops

• Continuous cropping depletes specific nutrients from the soil, leading to infertility as the soil does not have sufficient time to replenish nutrients.

Question 10: Flow Chart for Sugarcane Crop Production

• Order of Production Steps:

  1. Preparation of soil

  2. Ploughing the field

  3. Sowing

  4. Manuring

  5. Irrigation

  6. Harvesting

  7. Sending crop to sugar factory