KEY FOR CONCEPT WORKSHEET ( CLASS 9)

IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD RESOURCES

1 MARKERS

1. Arrange these statements in correct sequence of preparation of green manure.

(a) Green plants are decomposed in soil.
(b) Green plants are cultivated for preparing manure or crop plant parts are used.
(c) Plants are ploughed and mixed into the soil.
(d) After decomposition it becomes green manure. [NCERT Exemplar]
Answer:
(b) → (c) → (a) → (d)
2. Find out the correct sentence
(i) Hybridisation means crossing between genetically dissimilar plants
(ii) Cross between two varieties is called as inter specific hybridisation
(iii) Introducing genes of desired character into a plant gives genetically modified crop
(iv) Cross between plants of two species is called as inter varietal hybridisation
(a) (i) and (iii) (b) (ii) and (iv) (c) (ii) and (iii) (d) (iii) and (iv)
Answer : b

Directions: In each of the following questions, a statement of Assertion is given, and a corresponding
statement of Reason is given just below it. Of the statements, given below, mark the correct answer
as:
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but reason is true.

3. Assertion: Inter cropping prevents pests.

Reason: Plant pests can be controlled biologically by their natural parasites and pathogens.
Answer : b
4. Assertion: Some weeds produce substances toxic for the crops.
Reason: Weeds take up nutrients and reduce the growth of crops.
Answer: b
5. Name the three stages in which farming practices are divided.
Answer: Choice of seeds
Nurturing of crop plants, and
Protection of the growing and harvested crops.
6. Name any two factors for which crop variety improvement is done.
Answer: Higher yield and improved quality.
7. In agricultural practices, higher input gives higher yield. Discuss how?
Answer: Higher input means good financial conditions of the farmers so that they can employ
good and improved farming technologies. Thus these would give higher yields.
8. Why is excess use of fertilisers detrimental for the environment?
Answer: Fertilisers are inorganic chemicals which are not easily degraded. Excess use of
fertilisers causes environmental pollution as their residual and unused amounts will become
pollutants for air, water and soil.
9. If there is low rainfall in a village throughout the year, what measures will you suggest to the
farmers for better cropping? [NCERT Exemplar]
Answer: For better cropping in low rainfall areas, farmers can be suggested to:
 • Practice farming with drought-resistant and early maturing varieties of crops.
• To enrich the soil with more humus content as it increases the water-holding capacity and
retains water for longer duration.
10. Group the following and tabulate them as energy yielding, protein yielding, oil yielding and
fodder crop.
Wheat, rice, berseem, maize, gram, oat, pigeon gram, Sudan grass, lentil, soya bean, groundnut,
castor and mustard.
Answer: Energy yielding — wheat, rice, maize
Protein yielding — gram, pigeon gram, lentil, soya bean
Oil yielding — groundnut, castor, mustard, soya bean
Fodder crops — berseem, oat, Sudan grass
2 MARKERS
11. a) What happens due to deficiency of nutrients?
Answer: Nutrients are required by the plants for maintaining their health and every living
process occurring in their bodies. Deficiency of nutrients affects the various physiological
processes in plants like reproduction, growth, susceptibility to diseases, etc.
b) Can increasing grain production alone solve the problem of malnutrition and hunger?
Answer: No, increasing grain production only for storage in warehouses cannot solve the problem
of malnutrition and hunger. Food security depends both on availability of food and access to it. As
the majority of our population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, increasing the incomes of
people working in agriculture thus becomes necessary to combat the problem of hunger.
12. a) How is the use of manure beneficial for our environment?
Answer: Manure is beneficial because they help in:
-protecting the damage of environment from chemicals such as pesticides and fertilisers.
-recycling the biological wastes, i.e., animal excreta and plant wastes, thus preventing the
accumulation of these things.
b) Why is organic matter important for crop production?
Answer: Organic matter is important for crop production because: It helps in improving soil
structure. It helps in increasing water holding capacity of sandy soil. In clayey soil, large quantities of
organic matter help in drainage and in avoiding waterlogging.
13. a) Write the modes by which insects affect the crop yield.
Answer: Insects have a damaging effect on the crop yield. Some insects cut the plant parts inhibiting
their growth while others suck the cell sap so bees cannot help in pollination. Some insects are even
seen as the bore which damage the entire crop yield.
b)Why should pesticides be used judiciously?
Answer: Pesticides are the chemicals that are used to control weeds, insects, rodents, fungi as well
as diseases of plants. Their excessive use causes environmental pollution. They reach the water
resources and affect the aquatic flora and fauna. These harmful chemicals reach the bodies of birds,
animals and human beings through various food chains and are thus, harmful to all depending on
their concentration in the body.
14. a) How is crop production affected by biotic and abiotic factors?
Answer : Biotic factors like pests, insects and rodents cause loss of grains. Cold, heat, drought, salinity,
water logging and frost are the abiotic factors which stress crops and adversely affect crop production.
These biotic and abiotic factors cause poor seed germination, weeds, insects and diseases, low yield
and discolouration of leaves.
b) Why preventive measures and biological control methods are preferred for crop protection?
Answer: The following reasons are preferred for using preventive and biological methods in protecting
crops:
• The ways are simple and specific to the target.
• They are economical because there is a less financial investment.
• They are ecologically friendly as they minimize pollution.
3 MARKERS
15. List out some useful traits in improved crop?
Answer: Some useful traits in improved crops are:
• Higher yield of crop
• Improved quality of crop
• Biotic and abiotic resistance
• Change in maturity duration
• Wider adaptability and
• Desirable agronomic characteristics.
16. (a) Why are crops like guar grown by some farmers before sowing the seeds of a crop?
(b) Nitrogenous fertilizers are usually not required by the leguminous plants. Why?
(c) Why irrigation systems are in practice in India for the supply of water in agricultural fields?
Answer: a) The crops like guar are grown by farmers before sowing the seeds of a crop as the guar
crop is mulched by ploughing. It turns into green manure which helps in enriching the soil in nitrogen
and phosphorous.
b) The leguminous crops have root nodules that harbour nitrogen fixing bacteria like rhizobium in
them. These bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen to nitrates for their utilization by plants. So,
nitrogenous fertilizers are not usually required by the leguminous plants.
c) Most agriculture in India is rain fed and the success of crops in most areas is dependent on timely
monsoons and sufficient rainfall. Poor monsoons can cause crop failure. Hence, in order to ensure
that the crops get water at the right stages during their growth season, irrigation systems are in
practice in India for the supply of water to agricultural fields.
5 MARKERS
16. (a) Give any three preventive measures for pest control.
(b) What preventive and control measures are used before grains are stored for future use?
(c) How do storage grain losses occur?
Answer:
(a) The three important preventive measures for pest control are:
• Employing crop rotation.
• Use of pest-resistant varieties.
• Employing optimum time of sowing the crops.
(b) Preventive and control measures are used before grains are stored for future use, which include
strict cleaning of the produce before storage, proper drying of the produce first in sunlight and then
in shade, and fumigations by using chemicals that kill pests.
(c) Damage caused by rodents to stored and standing crops. They consume the crops and contaminate
them with their urine, excreta, etc.
Birds eat food grains and contaminate them with feathers and excreta. Infestation by insects and
microorganisms decreases the nutritive value of food grains and spoils them.
Enzymes present in meat, fruits and fish catalyse metabolic reactions and cause damage to them.
17. What are weeds? Enlist the methods employed to control weeds.
Answer: The unwanted plants in a cultivated field are called weeds. They compete for food, space
and light with the main crop plants. They germinate and grow faster, and thus effect the quality and
yield of the crop. For these reasons, weed plants need to be removed from the cultivated field in
early stage of crop. The methods employed for weed control are as follows:
• Mechanical Method: The weed plants are removed from the field either manually or with the
help of agricultural implements like uprooting or hand hoeing or weeding with khurpi,
ploughing, etc.
• Cultural Method: This method includes:
• Proper seed bed preparation
• Timely sowing of crops
• Intercropping
 • Crop rotation
• Chemical Methods: By Spraying chemicals that do not harm crop plants but destroy only the
weed plants, the latter can be controlled. These chemicals are called weedicides, e.g., 2, 4-D
and atrazine.
• Biological Method: As we know, some insects feed on particular weeds. Thus, we use these
insects as biological weed-controlling agents like the use of cochineal insect to control
Opuntia weed and the use of the grass carp fish to control aquatic weeds.

CASE STUDY
Figure shows the two crop fields [plots A and B] have been treated by manures and chemical
fertilisers respectively, keeping other environmental factors same.
Observe the graph and answer the following questions.
(i) Why does plot B show sudden increase and then gradual decrease in yield?
(ii) Why is the highest peak in plot A graph slightly delayed?
(iii) What is the reason for the different pattern of the two graphs?

Answer:
(i) With the addition of chemical fertilisers there is sudden increase in yield due to release of
nutrients N,P,K, etc. in high quantity. The gradual decline in the graph may be due to continuous use
and high quantity of chemicals which kills microbes useful for replenishing the organic matter in the
soil. This decreases the soil fertility.
(ii) Manures supply small quantities of nutrients to the soil slowly as it contains large amounts of
organic matter [Hint: Importance of organic matter can be included]. It enriches soil with nutrients;
thereby increasing soil fertility continuously.
(iii) The differences in the two graphs indicate that use of manure is beneficial for long duration in
cropping as the yield tends to remain high when the quantity of manure increases.
In case of plot B the chemical fertilisers may cause various problems when used continuously for
long time. Loss of microbial activity reduces decomposition of organic matter and as a result, soil
fertility is lost that affects the yield.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
1 MARKERS
1. Vitamins that are included in the poultry feed are:
(a) Vitamins A and B
(b) Vitamins B and C
(c) Vitamins A and C
(d) Vitamins A and K
Answer: d
2.Vitamin D does not contain in
(a) Fish
(b) Egg
(c) Meat
(d) Milk (cow)
Answer: d
3.Which of the following is not finned fishes –
(a) bhetki
(b) prawns
(c) mullets
(d) pearl spots
Answer: b
Directions: In each of the following questions, a statement of Assertion is given, and a corresponding
statement of Reason is given just below it. Of the statements, given below, mark the correct answer
as:
(a) Both assertion and reason are true, and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(b) Both assertion and reason are true, but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
(c) Assertion is true, but reason is false.
(d) Assertion is false, but reason is true.
4.Assertion:Vaccinations are given to farm animals.
Reason: Vaccinations protect the farm animals from a number of diseases caused due to virus and
bacteria
Answer: A
5.Assertion: Layers are given more of vitamin A and K.
Reason: Layers are raised for eggs.
Answer: C
6. Write any two advantages of beekeeping?
Answer: Following are the main advantages of beekeeping:
• Along with getting honey on a commercial scale, other products like wax, royal jelly and bee
venom are also obtained from beekeeping.
• Beekeeping requires low investments due to which farmers, along with agriculture also do
beekeeping to generate additional income.
7. What would happen if poultry birds are larger in size and have no summer adaptation capacity? In
order to get small-sized poultry birds having summer adaptability, what method will be employed?
Answer: Maintenance of temperature is needed for better egg production by poultry birds.
Therefore, larger size (increase in surface area of body) and no adaptability of summer may cause
decline in egg production. To obtain smaller size and higher summer adaptability, cross-breeding of
poultry birds are done. Small size is also needed for better housing and low feed.
8. Which management practices are standard in dairy and poultry farming?
Answer: The common management practices include:
• A well-designed, ventilated and hygienic shelter.
• Balanced nutrition is provided to both birds and animals.
• Regular check-ups.
• Protection against diseases.

9. Mention any one advantage and one disadvantage of fish culture.

Answer: The advantages of fish culture includes obtaining a large amount of desired fishes in a small
area. There are chances of making improvements in fish cultivation.
Fish culture is a threat to biodiversity. Only ecologically important and valued fishes can be cultured.
These are the drawbacks of the fish culture.
2 MARKERS
10. What are the types of food requirements of dairy animals ? Why do external and internal
parasites live on and in the cattle can be fatal?
Answer: They are two types of food requirements of diary animals:
• Maintenance requirement, which is the food required to support the animal to live a healthy
life.
• Milk producing requirement, which is the food required during the lactation period.
The external parasites live on skin and mainly cause skin diseases. The internal parasites like worms,
affect stomach and intestine while flukes damage liver.
11. What are the important precautions that should be taken in poultry farming?
Answer: In poultry farming the following precautions should be taken:
• Proper poultry feed.
• Proper vaccination of birds.
• Prevention and control of diseases and pests.
• Isolation of diseased birds.
• Maintenance of optimum temperature and hygienic conditions in housing.
12. Why is animal husbandry essential?
Answer: Animal husbandry is essential because of the following reasons:
• To increase milk production. It also increases the production of various milk products like
butter and cheese.
• To increase egg and meat production which are highly nutritious.
• To increase fish production.
• For the proper utilisation of animal wastes.
13. What would happen if poultry birds had large size and no summer adaptation capacity? What
method would be employed to get small-sized poultry birds having summer adaptability?
Answer: More feed is required by the large-sized birds. Summer adaptation is connected with egg
laying. Little summer adaptation reduces egg laying.
To obtain small-sized poultry birds having summer adaptability, it is desirable to introduce exotic birds
from the outside. Cross breeding the local birds with exotic birds from outside is also desirable.
Small-sized birds are preferred for
• Lower requirement of feed.
• Higher egg-laying capacity.
• Lower need for space.
3 MARKERS
14. Mention preventive measures for the diseases of poultry birds.
Answer: Poultry birds suffer from many diseases. These affect the growth, quality and quantity of the
chicks.. The measures to control the disease are:
• To provide adequate nutrition to the poultry birds.
• To keep birds in a good spacious, airy and ventilated shelter.
• Their shelter should be cleaned. Quick disposal of excreta.
• Proper sanitation.
• Timely vaccination.
• Spraying disinfectant regularly in the shelter to kill mosquitoes and other parasites.
• External parasites can be controlled by applying insecticide solutions.
15.(a) Name any one bottom feeder that can be grown in composite fish culture.
(b) What are the problems faced in such a culture ? How are they overcome?
Answer: (a) Mrigals and Common Carps are bottom feeders that can be grown in composite fish culture
(b) A major problem in fish farming is the lack of availability of good quality seed. To overcome this problem, we allow fish
to breed in ponds using hormonal stimulation. This has ensured the supply of pure fish seed in desired quantities

16. Besides causing ill health and death, how do diseases affect dairy animals?
On a cattle farm, there are fifteen cattle. How you can differentiate between diseased and healthy
cattle without any diagnostic test?
Cattle feed should include the right amount of concentrates. What do concentrates in cattle feed refer
to?
1. Answer: The disease affects the quality of milk and egg. The production of egg, milk and meat
is reduced in diseased dairy animals.
2. The points of difference between diseased and healthy cattle are food consumption,
behaviour, excreta and milk production.
3. The concentration of fibre is low in concentrates, but they are rich in proteins and other
nutrients.
17.Why are improved poultry breeds developed? Describe the desirable traits for which new
varieties are developed.
Answer: Poultry farming is undertaken to raise domestic fowl for egg production and chicken meat.
For this, improved poultry breeds are developed and farmed to produce layers for eggs and broilers
for meat. The cross-breeding programmes between Indian (indigenous like Aseel) and foreign (exotic
like Leghorn) breeds for variety improvement are focused on developing new varieties for the
following desirable traits:
• The number and quality of chicks.
• Dwarf broiler parent for commercial chick production.
• Tolerance to high temperature.
• Low maintenance requirements.
• Reduction in the size of the egg-laying bird possessing the ability to utilise more fibrous and
economical diet that are formulated using agricultural by-products.
• lower to another by the bees while collecting nectar.

5 MARKERS
18.a) Name two familiar sources for fish capturing.
b) Why are mussels and shellfish cultivated?
c) How can the demand for more fish be met on depletion of marine fish stock?
d) How are marine fish caught?
e) Name two marine fish cultured in seawater and of high economic value.
Answer: 1. The two common sources from which the fish are captured are the natural resources,
including sea, ocean and river. The second is fish farming in fresh water and marine water.
2. Mussels have high nutritional value. They are a good source of vitamins and have
desirable fatty acids that improve brain function. It also has zinc which boosts
immunity. Shellfish is also a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fish oil, and it brings
good revenue as seafood.
3. Mari culture is the practice which cultivating marine organisms for commercial
purposes and meeting the increasing fish demand. Their advantages are:
Food and products give economic value.
Important for industrial fishing.
Farming of marine fish, prawns and shellfish is done in an open ocean or artificial
ponds filled with seawater.
4. The various ways to catch fish are hand gathering, netting, spearfishing, angling and trapping. For
commercial purposes, fishes are captured from high seas by long lines, gill nets, purse seines and
bottom trawlers.
5. The marine fishes which have high economic value are
• Bhetki
• Mullets
• Pearl spot
CASE STUDY (4 MARKERS)
Honey is widely used and therefore bee keeping for making honey has become an agricultural
enterprise. Since bee-keeping needs low investments, farmers use it as an additional income
generating activity. In addition to honey, the beehives are a source of wax which is used in various
medicinal preparations. The local varieties of bees used for commercial honey production
are Apisceranaindica, A. Dorsata and A. florae. An Italian bee variety, A. mellifera, has also been
brought in to increase yield of honey.The Italian bees have high honey collection capacity. For
commercial honey production, bee farms or apiaries are established. The value or quality of honey
depends upon the pasturage.

1.Why rearing of bee is done?

Answer: for commercial honey and wax
2.An Italian bee variety A. mellifera has been introduced in India for honey production. Write about
its merits over other varieties.
Answer: high honey production, sting less, high breeding capacity,
3.Why bee keeping should be done in good pasturage?
Answer: The flora from which honeybees collect nectar, pollen, etc., is called pasturage. The
quality,quantity and taste of honey depend on pasturage, so beekeeping should be done in good
pasturage.
4.Identify the correct statements
Statement 1 – Beehives are a source of wax which is used in various medicinal preparations.
Statement 2 – Apis cerana indica is commonly known as the Indian bee
Statement 3 – Apis dorsata is known as the rock bee
Statement 4 -The quality of honey depends upon the flowers available for nectar and pollen
collection.
(a) Both 1 & 2
(b) Both 3 & 4
(c) Only 1
(d) All of the above
Answer: d