NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 1 - Crop Production And Management

Science NCERT Grade 8, Chapter 1, Crop Production and Management deals with the fundamentals of crop production and its management. The chapter categorizes the term crop ad defines them with certain examples. On the basis of seasons in which the crops are grown, they are classified as - 

• Kharif crops (monsoon crops or autumn crops)

• Rabi crops (winter crops)

These are explained with a number of examples. The major part of the chapter orbits the best practices of crop production. Here, all the important agricultural practices are described in a comprehensive way. 

Above all, the agricultural practices covered in the chapter, Crop Production and Management  are listed below: 

Preparation of soil: In this section, the process of tilling and ploughing is well-explained with various agricultural implements used.

Sowing: Here, the practice of selection of seeds is discussed.

Adding manures and fertilizers: In this part, certain examples of manures and fertilizers are given along with their significance in crop production. Besides this, differences between manures and fertilizers are also clearly explained.

Irrigation: Various sources of irrigation along with traditional and modern methods of irrigation are covered in this chapter.

Protection from weeds: This chapter deals with the protection of crops and includes the terms weed, weeding, and weedicides.

Harvesting: You will understand harvesting, threshing, and winnowing under this chapter.

Storage: Silos and granaries form part of the discussion under this section.

Lastly, this chapter provides you with short information on animals as sources of food along with Crop Production, and Management.

The chapter, Crop Production and Management covers the topics underlined:

• Agricultural Practices

• Basic Practices of Crop Production

• Preparation of Soil

• Sowing

• Adding Manure and Fertilisers

• Irrigation

• Protection from Weeds

• Harvesting

• Storage

• Food from Animals

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 _________. 

Ans: Crop

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

Ans: Preparation

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

Ans: Float

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

Ans: Water and nutrients.

2. Match items in column A with those in column B.

Ans:

The table showing the matched answers is as below,

3. Give two examples of each.

1. Kharif crop

2. Rabi crop

Ans: Examples:

1. Kharif crops - maize and millets.

2. Rabi crops - wheat and oats.

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

1. Preparation of soil

2. Sowing 

3. Weeding

4. Threshing

Ans: 

a. Preparation of soil: 

i. The first method in crop management is soil preparation.  This process is done by loosening the soil with the help of a plough which helps in ploughing or tilling it. 

ii. Loosening of soil particles adds humus and nutrients and increases the absorption of water and manure in the soil which increases crop yields.

b. Sowing:

i. After the soil preparation, the best seeds are chosen to sow in the soil for production.

ii. Seeds are sown with the help of a seed drill which is in the funnel shape used in modern-day tractors to sow the seeds at a particular depth in the soil.

c. Weeding:

i. Unwanted plants which grow and interfere along with the other plants to reduce their yield are called weeds. Unwanted plants are removed by the process called weeding  

ii. We have to remove weeds as they compete with the plants in light and space and take up the nutrients given to the plant from the soil. Xanthium, Parthenium, etc. are some common weeds that affect the growth of plants. 

iv. Weedicides are used to control the weeds which is a chemical that only kills the weeds, not the crops. 

d. Threshing: 

i. After the crop harvesting, the last step in which the grains are separated from the chaff is called threshing.

ii. “Combine” is a machine that carries out this threshing process. The combine is the combination of harvester and thresher which harvests crops and also separates the grains.

5. Explain how fertilisers are different from manure.

Ans: The table showing the difference between fertilizers and manure is as below,

6. What is irrigation? Describe two methods of irrigation that conserve water. 

Ans: Irrigation:

• Supplying water to the crops in the field at various intervals for the growth of the plants is called irrigation.

• Intervals differ from crop to crop, season to season, and are also affected by the type of soil and rainfall.

• The irrigation sources may include ponds, lakes, canals rivers, and dams. 

Two methods of which conserve water are drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation:

• Drip irrigation: It has an arrangement of pipes or tubes with small holes from which plants are watered drop by drop at the base of the root, so that water cannot be wasted.

• Sprinkler irrigation: It has an arrangement of vertical pipes with rotating nozzles on the top for the distribution of water to uneven or sandy lands without wastage of water.

7. If wheat is sown in the Kharif season, what would happen?  Discuss. 

Ans: 

1. Kharif season is from June to October. If wheat is planted during this season, it is possible that the entire crop will be damaged due to a variety of issues including a lack of optimal temperature, adaptability, and insect availability.

2. The rainy season is included in the Kharif season, which is not conducive to wheat crop growth, as wheat grows well in the winter or rabi season. As a result, the wheat crop must not be planted during the Kharif season, but rather during the Rabi season.

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

Ans: 

1. Soil minerals such as potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, as well as other nutrients are depleted as a result of persistent soil plantation. It takes up all the plant nutrients which take a long time to replenish. 

2. These ions are important for all plants to undergo proper growth. If a continuous plantation is done these minerals won’t get time to replenish and the crop yield decreases immediately.

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

Ans: Weeds:

1. Undesirable or unwanted plants that grow along with crop plants that reduce crop productivity are known as weeds. Xanthium, Parthenium, etc. are some common weeds.  

2. Weeds compete for light, nutrients, and space with the crop. As a consequence, crop plants receive less light, nutrients, and space to grow. We have to remove weeds as they compete with the plants in light and space and take up the nutrients given to the plant from the soil. 

3. This, in turn, reduces their productivity. Thus, various weeding methods are employed. 

    Some important weeding methods to control the growth of weeds are:

1. Weeds can be controlled using weedicides. It is a chemical, which is sprayed in the fields to kill all available weeds.  Weedicides are not harmful to crops. 

2. Weeds are also removed by tilling before sowing crops. Weeds are uprooted by tilling. The optimum time to get rid of weeds would be before they blossom and release seeds. 

10. Arrange the following boxes in proper order to make a flow chart of sugarcane crop production.

Ans: Sugarcane production involves several processes such as growing the crops by preparing the soil first by ploughing it, then sowing the seeds and using manures. Then water is supplied by the irrigation method. After the crop production, harvesting is done, then the crops can be sent to a factory.

11. Complete the following word puzzle with the help of clues given below. 

Down 

1. Providing water to the crops. 

2. Keeping crop grains for a long time under proper conditions. 

5. Certain plants of the same kind grow on a large scale.

Across 

3. A machine used for cutting the matured crop. 

4. A rabi crop that is also one of the pulses. 

6. A process of separating the grain from the chaff.

Ans:

1. Providing water to the crops - IRRIGATION

2. Keeping crop grains for a long time under proper conditions - STORAGE

5. Certain plants of the same kind grow on a large scale - CROP

Across 

3. A machine used for cutting the matured crop - HARVESTER

4. A rabi crop that is also one of the pulses - GRAM

6. A process of separating the grain from chaff - WINNOWING

Learn More about NCERT Science Class 8 Chapter 1: Crop Production and Management

In this section, readers will be able to learn about everything that they need to know regarding crop production and management. This information will help students to solve questions that are included in this chapter.

Let’s start with the basics. All the topics are described in the easy question-answer format so that students’ basics get cleared easily and they understand each term deeply. 

A crop can be defined as plants of the same type that are grown and cultivated as a source of food. This is done in a large cultivable land. There are also different types of crops. These different types of crops are:

• Rabi Crops: These crops are grown during the winter season, which is from October to March.

• Kharif Crops: These crops are sown during the rainy season, which is from July to October.

What are the process and tools required for preparing the soil?

Before any seed can be sown, the soil is prepared for the crop. This is done so that seeds can be properly sewn inside the land. There are several processes and tools that are used for preparing the soil. We have discussed those methods and tools in a list that is mentioned below.

Ploughing or Tilling

Ploughing or tilling is the process through which the soil is loosened and turned. This is done with the help of a plough.

Plough

As mentioned above, a plough is a device that is mainly used by farmers for various purposes like loosening the soil and adding fertilizers to the soil. A plough can also be used to remove weeds and scraping of soil. Usually, a plough shaft is the main part of a plough, which is made from a log of wood.

A ploughshare is another part of a plough and it can be explained as a triangular iron strip. The other end of the shaft has a handle. The other end is attached to a beam. This beam is pulled by the bull after it is placed on the neck of the bull. A wooden plough can also be operated by a man. These days many farmers are also switching to iron ploughs.

Hoe

A hoe is a tool that can be used for digging up the soil. This tool can also be used to remove weeds and loosen up the soil before planting a sapling into the soil.

Cultivator

A cultivator is a tool that is attached to a tractor. It helps in loosening the soil. There are many farmers who prefer to use cultivators instead of ploughs as cultivators are faster.

What is sowing? How to sow a seed?

1. Soil preparation is necessary before sowing seeds.

2. Sowing is the process of planting seeds in the soil.

3. The quality of the seed is crucial for determining crop yield.

4. Selecting good seeds involves placing them in water to check for dead or damaged seeds.

5. Dead and damaged seeds will float on water, while good seeds will sink.

6. Traditional tools such as scythes, shovels, ploughs, and pickaxes were used before modern agricultural practices.

7. Traditional sowing tools resembled funnels with two or three tubes for placing seeds in the soil.

8. Seed drills are now used with tractors for uniform and efficient sowing.

9. Seed drills ensure that seeds are sown at a specific depth and covered with soil.

10. Nurseries are places where young trees and plants are grown for later transplantation.

11. Nurseries are considered repositories of saplings by experts.

12. After sowing, seeds undergo germination and the plant starts to emerge.

13. Adding manure or fertilizers is the next task for the farmer after seed germination.

What are manure and fertilisers?

1. Manures and fertilisers can increase the fertility of the soil.

2. Fertilisers are made from inorganic salt, while manure is made from organic matter like human waste, farm waste, and cow dung.

3. Fertilisers are manufactured in factories, while manure can be prepared on the farms.

4. Fertilisers are added to the soil in smaller quantities, whereas manures need to be added in larger quantities due to lower nutrient content.

5. Fertilisers do not provide humus to the soil, while manures contribute a significant amount of humus.

6. The choice between manure and fertilisers requires considering these differences.

7. Excessive use of fertilisers can result in pollution and pH changes in the soil.

8. Some farmers choose to leave their land fallow to naturally replenish lost nutrients and minerals.

9. After a period of time, the land can be used again.

What is crop rotation?

In crop rotation, the same crop is not grown continuously. This prevents the erosion of the fertility of the soil. Also, another major part of growing crops is protecting the crops from weeds.

What are weeds? What is tilling?

Weeds can be defined as undesirable plants that grow naturally along with the main crop. The weeds are harmful because they compete with the crop by absorbing all the nutrients, water, light, and space.

Tilling is a process that can be done after sowing the crops. This process helps in killing and uprooting the weeds. One can also choose to remove weeds by physically uprooting the weeds from the soil or by chopping the weeds to the ground level. This is known as the manual removal method.

Some farmers also use weedicides, which are chemicals that are used for killing weeds. Students should remember that weedicides do not harm the main crop. After that, harvesting is performed.

What is harvesting? What are the methods to harvest the crops?

Harvesting can be explained as the process of cutting the crop once it has matured. 

There are two main methods through which harvesting can be done. These methods are:

• Manual method where a sickle can be used.

• The mechanical method in which a harvester, which is a huge machine, can be used.

What is threshing and winnowing?

Threshing is also the process that can be used for loosening the grains from the chaff. This process can be performed manually or with the help of machines. Winnowing is also a method for separating grain seeds from the chaff. But this method is done with the help of the wind. Because of the wind, the lighter chaff will fly away and the heavier grains will fall down.

How the grains are stored?

Once the grain is separated, then the storage of the grains is left. Ideally, the grains should be stored in silos and granaries after harvesting. One should ensure that grains are stored in a dry place that does not have any fungal infestation or rodent infestation. Fumigation of the storage place should also be done to make sure that the storage place is free from microbes.

For students who do not know what granaries mean, it is the place where the freshly obtained food grains are stored. Also, animal husbandry is defined as the management and care of farm animals. This is done to obtain milk, eggs, or meat.

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There are a total of ten exercises in chapter 1 of class 8 science NCERT book. Each of these exercises deals with various topics. It is recommended that students should solve all of these exercises if they want to score good marks in their final science examination.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science | Chapterwise PDF

• Chapter 2 - Microorganisms : Friend and Foe

• Chapter 3 - Synthetic Fibres and Plastics

• Chapter 4 - Materials : Metals and Non-Metals

• Chapter 5 - Coal and Petroleum

• Chapter 6 - Combustion and Flame

• Chapter 7 - Conservation of Plants and Animals

• Chapter 8 - Cell - Structure and Functions

• Chapter 9 - Reproduction in Animals

• Chapter 10 - Reaching The Age of Adolescence

• Chapter 11 - Force and Pressure

• Chapter 12 - Friction

• Chapter 13 - Sound

• Chapter 14 - Chemical Effects of Electric Current

• Chapter 15 - Some Natural Phenomena

• Chapter 16 - Light

• Chapter 17 - Stars and The Solar System

• Chapter 18 - Pollution of Air and Water

Additional Materials for CBSE Class 8 Science Chapter 1 

• CBSE Class 8 Important Questions

• CBSE Class 8 Revision Notes

• CBSE Class 8 Exemplar Solutions