NCERT Book Class 8 Science Crop Production And Management

CROP PRODUCTIION AND MANAGEMENT

Paheli and Boojho went to their uncle’s house during the summer vacation. Their uncle is a farmer. One day they saw some tools like khurpi, sickle, shovel, plough, etc., in the field. In order to provide food for a large population— regular production, proper management and distribution of food is necessary.

1.1 Agricultural Practices

You have learnt that all living organisms require food. Plants can mak their food themselves. Can you recall how green plants synthesise their own food? Animals including humans can not make their own food. So, where do animals get their food from? But, first of all why do we have to eat food?You already know that the energy from food is utilised by organisms for carrying out their various body functions, such as digestion, respiration and excretion. We get our food from plants, or animals, or both. When plants of the same kind are grown  and cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. For example, crop of wheat means that all the plants grown in a field are that of wheat. You already know that crops are of different types like cereals, vegetables and fruits. These can be classified on the basis of the season in which they grow. India is a vast country. The climatic conditions like temperature, humidity and rainfall vary from one region to another. Accordingly, there is a rich variety of crops grown in different parts of the country. Despite this diversity, two broad cropping patterns can be identified. These are:

(i) Kharif Crops : The crops which are sown in the rainy season are called kharif crops. The rainy season in India is generally from June to September. Paddy, maize, soyabean, groundnut, cotton, etc., are kharif crops. 

(ii) Rabi Crops : The crops grown in the winter season are called rabi crops. Their time period is generally from October to March. Examples of rabi crops are wheat, gram, pea, mustard and linseed. Besides these, pulses and vegetables are grown during summer at many places.

1.2 Basic Practices of Crop Production

 These activities are listed below.

(i) Preparation of soil

(ii) Sowing

(iii) Adding manure and fertilisers

(iv) Irrigation

(v) Protecting from weeds

(vi) Harvesting

(vii) Storage

1.3 Preparation of Soil

The preparation of soil is the first step before growing a crop. One of the most important tasks in agriculture is to turn the soil and loosen it. This allows the roots to penetrate deep into the soil. The loose soil allows the roots to breathe easily even when they go deep into the soil. Why does the loosening of soil allow the roots to breathe easily? The loosened soil helps in the growth of earthworms and microbes present in the soil. These organisms are friends of the farmer since they further turn and loosen the soil and add humus to it. But why does the soil need to be turned and loosened?

You have learnt in the previous classes that soil contains minerals, water, air and some living organisms. In addition, dead plants and animals get decomposed by soil organisms. In this way, various nutrients held in the dead organisms are released back into the soil. These nutrients are again absorbed by plants.

Since only a few centimetres of the top layer of soil supports plant growth, turning and loosening of soil brings the nutrient-rich soil to the top so that plants can use these nutrients. 

Exercises

1. Select the correct word from the following list and fill in the blanks.

float, water, crop, nutrients, preparation

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

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

(c) Damaged seeds would _____________ on top of water.

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

2. Give two examples of each.

(a) Kharif crop

(b) Rabi crop

3. Write a paragraph in your own words on each of the following.

(a) Preparation of soil (b) Sowing

(c) Weeding (d) Threshing

4. Explain how fertilisers are different from manure.

5. What is irrigation? Describe two methods of irrigation which conserve water.

6. If wheat is sown in the kharif season, what would happen? Discuss.

7. Explain how soil gets affected by the continuous plantation of crops in a field.

8. What are weeds? How can we control them?

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 8 Science Crop Production And Management