Agriculture in India — III : Cash Crops

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1

Rabi crop is sown in

1. June-July
2. Oct-Nov
3. Dec-Jan
4. March-April

Answer

Oct-Nov

Question 2

Cotton requires

1. 21°- 27° C temp
2. 15°- 25° C temp
3. 10°- 5° C temp
4. 30° - 35° C temp

Answer

21°- 27° C temp

Question 3

Cultivation of sugarcane from the root stock of the cane which has been cut is called

1. Ginning
2. Ratooning
3. Clone planting
4. Retting

Answer

Ratooning

Question 4

Cotton plant is vulnerable to attack by diseases like

1. green leaf hopper
2. stripe rust
3. boll worms
4. rust

Answer

boll worms

Question 5

Study the picture given and answer the question — the largest producer of this crop is

1. Gujarat
2. Punjab
3. Haryana
4. Tamil Nadu

Answer

Gujarat

Question 6

The groundnut kernels contain

1. 40 - 50% oil
2. no oil
3. 20 - 30% oil
4. 10 - 15% oil

Answer

40 - 50% oil

Question 7

Sugarcane can grow well in the alluvial soil. It should be rich in

1. Nitrogen
2. Calcium
3. Phosphorus
4. All the above

Answer

All the above

Question 8

The fine plucking is associated with

1. coffee
2. tea
3. rubber
4. cotton

Answer

tea

Question 9

Crop rotation is done to

1. preserve the soil
2. preserve minerals in the soil
3. grow more crops
4. none of the above

Answer

preserve minerals in the soil

Question 10

Winnowing is associated with

1. rice crop
2. cotton crop
3. soya bean
4. wheat crop

Answer

wheat crop (also done in Rice)

Answer the following questions

Question 1

What are the climatic conditions that favour the cultivation of cotton?

Answer

The climatic conditions that favour the cultivation of cotton are:

1. It needs mild, cool, preferably dry climate with 21°- 27° C temperature.
2. It needs plenty of sunshine.
3. Warm days and cool nights are good for the development of the boll and fibres in the first stage at the time of fruition.
4. Temperature should not fall below 20°C.
5. This crop requires 200 frost free days during growing period.

Question 2

Where in India does long staple cotton grow? What are its advantages?

Answer

In India, the long staple cotton grows in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The long staple cotton is used to make fine quality cotton cloth. It is stronger, softer and makes more durable fabric. Fabric made of long-staple cottons fray less, pill less, wrinkle less and even fade less.

Question 3

Is dry weather necessary at the time of harvest of cotton? Why?

Answer

Yes, dry weather is necessary at the time of harvest of cotton. Cotton requires dry weather at the time of harvest because dryness helps in ripening and bursting of the cotton bolls. Humidity results in infestation of pests and diseases. Rainfall at time of harvesting badly affects the quality of cotton.

Question 4

Why is jute called the 'brown paper' of the wholesale trade?

Answer

Jute is called the 'brown paper' of the wholesale trade as until recently its sacks were used for packing rice, wheat, sugar, pulses, cement and fertilizers.

Question 5

What are the geographical requirements for growing jute? Name the leading producer of jute.

Answer

The geographical requirements for the cultivation of Jute are:

1. Light sandy or clayey loams are best for growing jute.
2. It grows well in flood plains and river deltas rich in alluvium. Since jute rapidly exhausts the fertility of the soil, it is necessary that the soils are replenished annually by the silt-laden flood waters of the rivers.
3. It requires high temperature between 24°C to 35°C.
4. It needs high relative humidity of 80% to 90% at the time of growth.
5. Jute requires heavy rainfall of 170 cm to 200 cm.

Question 6

Name the two most important fibre crops of India.

Answer

The two most important crops of India area cotton and jute.

Question 7

Name the different varieties of tea in India.

Answer

The different varieties of tea in India are Black Tea, Green Tea and Oolong Tea.

Question 8

Why is tea generally grown on the hill slopes?

Answer

Tea is generally grown on the hill slopes because the hill slopes do not allow water logging and provide proper drainage. Stagnant water is injurious to the roots of tree plants. Hence, hill slopes are best suited for growing tea.

Question 9

Why are the tea plants pruned?

Answer

Tea plants are pruned at regular interval to maintain the height and diameter of the plant limited to one metre. Frequent pruning encourages the rapid production of fresh leaves and shoots.

Question 10

Name the leading producer of tea in India. What factors have helped it to become the leading state?

Answer

Assam is the leading producer of tea in India. The factors that helped it to become the leading state are:

1. It gets over 250 cm rainfall.
2. The temperature is above 20°C.
3. Morning fog helps and frost never occurs.
4. Labour is available in plenty.

Question 11

Why is the plucking of tea leaves entrusted generally to women?

Answer

Mostly women are entrusted to pluck tea leaves because tea plucking is a very skilled job requiring patience and judgement. Women are better pickers and can be employed at relatively cheaper rates.

Question 12

Name the different stages of tea processing before it is sent out to the market.

Answer

The different stages of tea processing before it is sent out to the market are:

1. Withering — It is done to remove the moisture from the leaves by spreading them over racks and passing air through them.
2. Rolling — It gives the twist to the leaves, breaks the leaf cells and the natural juice is exposed to the atmosphere for fermentation to set in.
3. Fermentation — Tea leaves are spread out in special trays on cement tables for fermentation which results in change of leaf colour to copper red.
4. Drying or fixing — After fermentation, leaves are put on conveyer belt and are passed through an oven at a very high temperature.
5. Sorting — The leaves are sorted out in various grades with the help of sifters with different size of meshes.
6. Blending — It gives a characteristic flavour to the brand.
7. Packing — It is done in plywood cases with a lining of aluminium foil.

Question 13

Name the two main centres where tea is auctioned.

Answer

Kolkata and Guwahati are the two main centres where tea is auctioned.

Question 14

Why is blending necessary for tea?

Answer

The tea plant is greatly affected by the type of climate it is grown in. Thus by blending, the tea planter prepares his own brand to supply his customers on the basis of its flavour, colour and texture. Each brand will have its own characteristic flavour and the blend is a closely guarded secret.

Question 15

Give two reasons stating the economic importance of the tea industry.

Answer

Two reasons stating the economic importance of the tea industry are:

1. It is a labour-intensive industry and provides employment to over a million workers.
2. It earns a lot of foreign exchange for the country.

Question 16

Name two important regions where tea is grown in south India.

Answer

Two important regions where tea is grown in south India are Nilgiri hills in Tamil Nadu and Annamalai hills in Karnataka.

Question 17

Name the two main varieties of coffee grown in India.

Answer

Two main varieties of coffee grown in India are:

1. Coffea arabica.
2. Coffea robust.

Question 18

Why are young coffee plants protected from heat?

Answer

Young coffee plants are protected from heat to prevent damage to their delicate leaves and branches, which can impede growth and reduce crop yields. High temperatures can cause wilting, dehydration, sunburn and in extreme cases death of the plant. It also helps to prevent infestations and outbreaks.

Question 19

State three factors which favour the cultivation of coffee in South India. Name the leading producer of coffee in India.

Answer

Three factors which favour the cultivation of coffee in South India are:

1. Altitude — Coffee is grown at an altitude of 800 to 1500 metres. South India has many high-altitude regions, such as the Western Ghats, which are ideal for growing coffee. Generally the slopes are protected from direct rain, direct sun rays and strong winds.
2. Climate — South India has a tropical climate that is well-suited to coffee cultivation, with moderate temperatures, abundant rainfall, and high humidity.
3. Soil — South India provides rich loamy laterite soil, rich in humus and iron oxide which favours coffee production.

Karnataka is the leading producer of coffee in India.

Question 20

State one climatic and one commercial problem that coffee cultivation in India faces.

Answer

Climatic problem — Dry weather, high temperature, long droughts and unseasonal rainfall.

Commercial problem — Low productivity and yields due to outdated farming practices, lack of access to modern technology and inputs, and a lack of investment in research and development. Due to this coffee cultivation in India faces tough competition from countries like Brazil, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Question 21

Name the different methods by which sugarcane can be propagated.

Answer

The different methods by which sugarcane can be propagated are:

1. Sett method — In this method, the pieces of sugarcane with one or two joint, called sett, is sown.
2. Ratooning — In this method, after the first crop, the sugarcane is cut leaving, the root intact in the soil. The stem begins to grow again.

Question 22

State the leading producer of sugarcane in India.

Answer

Uttar Pradesh is leading producer of sugarcane in India.

Question 23

What are the advantages of ‘Ratooning'?

Answer

The advantages of Ratooning are:

1. Crop need not be planted again.
2. Ratoons have relatively shorter maturation period.
3. The method does not involve any extra expenditure; hence is cheaper as compared to re-planting the crop.

Question 24

Give two problems the farmers of north India face during sugarcane cultivation.

Answer

Two problems the farmers of north India face during sugarcane cultivation are:

1. The hot dry winds known as 'loo' that blows in summers affects the normal growth of sugarcane.
2. Very low temperature in winters in northern plains also affects it growth.

Question 25

What advantage does the Deccan region have over the north with reference to sugarcane cultivation?

Answer

The Deccan region have following advantages over the north with reference to sugarcane cultivation:

1. In the south, the climate conditions are ideal with the absence of "Loo" during summer with reasonably high temperature and frost-free winters coupled with maritime winds in coastal areas.
2. The black lava soil with their high fertility and retentivity are most beneficial for the sugarcane crop.
3. Better methods, manures and fertilizers are used for cultivation in the south.

Question 26

Name a few diseases that sugarcane plant is susceptible to.

Answer

A few diseases that sugarcane plant is susceptible to are:

1. Fungal diseases like red rot, smut, rust.
2. Ratoon stunting.

Question 27

Name a few important oil-seeds grown in India.

Answer

A few important oil-seeds grown in India are:

1. Edible oilseeds — Groundnuts, sesame, rapeseed, mustard, sunflower and niger.
2. Non-edible oilseeds — Linseeds, Caster seeds, neem and mahua.

Question 28

State the economic importance of oilseeds.

Answer

The economic importance of oilseeds are:

1. India has the largest area in production of oilseeds.
2. The measure oilseeds occupy nearly 20% of the net sown area.
3. The oil extracted from oilseeds constitutes an important part of our diet as edible oils. It is also used as raw material for manufacturing various items of economic importance such as paints, varnishes, soaps, cosmetic items, medicinal items, lubricants, perfumes, etc.
4. The residue of edible oilseeds forms an important part of cattle feed and manure.
5. The oil industry offers employment to millions of people.

Question 29

What is an oil cake? How is it used?

Answer

The residue left of edible oilseed is known as oil cake. It is used as manure and cattle feed.

Question 30

Name the non-edible oilseeds. Why are they so called?

Answer

The non-edible oilseeds are Linseeds, neem, mahua and Caster seeds. They are called so because they cannot be used as part of our diet. They are used only for producing industrial and commercial products.

Question 31

Give the geographical conditions necessary for the growth of groundnuts. Name its leading producer.

Answer

The geographical conditions necessary for the growth of groundnuts are:

1. Well drained light sandy loams, red and black soils are well suited for its cultivation.
2. It grows well with temperature ranging between 20° C to 25° C.
3. Warm and dry weather is important at ripening stage.
4. It needs a rainfall of 50 to 70 cm.

Gujarat is the leading producer of Groundnut in India.

Question 32

Name the by-products of sugarcane. Give one important use of each.

Answer

The by-products of sugarcane and their uses are:

1. Molasses — It is used to produce industrial alcohol, fertilizers, rum, treacle and yeast.
2. Bagasse — It is used as fuel for mills and mainly used for paper, fibre board and synthetic fibres.
3. Press mud — It is used to make wax, shoe polish and carbon paper.

Question 33

Why are floods beneficial for better growth of jute?

Answer

Jute crop rapidly exhausts the fertility of soil. It is necessary to replenish the fertility of soil annually which is done by silt laden floodwaters of the rivers. Thus, the floods are beneficial for better growth of jute.

Question 34

Explain the following terms. With which crop do you associate them?

1. Ginning
2. Retting
3. Clonal planting
4. Ratooning
5. Fine plucking
6. Bud grafting

Answer

1. Ginning — It is the process in which fibre is separated from the seed/raw material. It is done by roller gins. Ginning is associated with cotton.
2. Retting — It is a microbiological process in which the jute bundles are submerged in soft clean water for 2-3 weeks. This helps to loosen the outer bark and helps in removal of the fibre from the stalk. This process is associated with Jute.
3. Clonal planting — It is the method where cutting are taken from good high yielding mpther plant rather than seeds. It is associated with Tea.
4. Ratooning — It is a method of Sugarcane cultivation in which the sugarcane is cut leaving the root intact in soil. It is associated with Sugarcane.
5. Fine plucking — Plucking of two youngest leaves with a bud is called fine plucking. It is done in Tea.
6. Bud grafting — In Bud grafting, a strip of bark of a good yielding plant containing a bud is inserted under the bark of a young seedling. It is done in rubber plant.

Question 35

Give reason —

1. Tea is best grown on hill slopes.
2. Pruning is essential for a tea plant.
3. Honey bees are reared on coffee plants.

Answer

1. Tea is generally grown on the hill slopes because the hill slopes do not allow water logging and provide proper drainage. Stagnant water is injurious to the roots of tree plants. Hence, hill slopes are best suited for growing tea.
2. Tea plants are pruned at regular interval to maintain the height and diameter of the plant limited to one metre. Frequent pruning encourages the rapid production of fresh leaves and shoots.
3. Honey bees are reared on coffee plants as they help to pollinate the flowers.

Question 36

Answer in one word —

1. Method in which coffee is obtained by pulping, fermenting, washing and drying.
2. Method in which coffee berries are dried in the sun.
3. Method in which seeds are dropped through bamboo shafts attached to a plough

Answer

1. Wet method
2. Dry method
3. Drilling