Question

Why should soil be turned?

Answer 1

Hint: This means making soil upside down so that air can easily reach deeper into the soil which is very much essential for the growth and development of plants and various insects and micro-organism present in the soil.

Correct answer:
The soil is turned to make it loose so the turning of soil means the loosening of the soil. When the soil loosens it makes it easy for air and water to reach the roots of the plant. It also allows the roots of a plant to penetrate deeper into the soil so that it can hold the plant firmly. In loose soil roots can breathe easily and also water can reach easily upto more depth.

Additional Information:
The process of turning or loosening the soil is known as tilling or ploughing.
The tilling process aerates the soil and provides space to roots or bulbs or tubers for easier expansion and elongation.
Tilling also breaks up the compactness of soil and warms it up which is needed for planting.
Then loosen or turned soil allows the roots to penetrate deep inside.
The loose soil helps in the proper growth of earthworms and other microbes in the soil.
The loosened soil also helps in holding the various nutrients released back into the soil from the dead organisms.
The tilling or ploughing process is done before sowing the seeds to break the soil into the size of the seeds or grains.
The loosening or turning of soil in the fields is done with the help of three main instruments or tools; these are hoe and cultivator.
The tilling or loosening of the soil is done by the hands of a farmer in the small field but in the case of a large field, it is done by ploughs which are pulled by a pair of bulls.

Note:
Loosening of soil makes the soil aerated and thus adds humus and nutrients to the soil and in this way increases yield of crops.
The turning process of soil helps in increasing the capacity of absorption of water and manures in the soil.
Nowadays in modern farming tractors are driven with cultivators to loosen the soil.