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Improvement in food resources is essential for increasing nutritional value and consistency of food. It also helps keep food and crops free from diseases. To reduce costs and increase availability of food products, improvement initiatives like Green Revolution and White Revolution were introduced.
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Key Terms: Green revolution, White revolution, Crop yield, Organic farming, Animal husbandry, Bee-keeping
Sources of Food
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Need for food resources is increasing as the human population grows. Plant and animal output must both be increased because they are primary sources of food we have.
- Examples of plant products: Cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, oilseeds, sauces, and spices.
- Examples of animal products: Milk and milk products, meat, egg and poultry, fish and other sea goods.
Read More: Mutation
Types of Crops
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A large-scale plant that has been cultivated is known as a crop. In India, there are two main types of crops that are Kharif crops and Rabi crops.
Kharif Crops
Kharif crop is also known as monsoon crop since it is cultivated during the rainy season. The Kharif season varies from state to state, but it normally runs from June through September. We plant the crop in the month of June, around the start of the monsoon season, and harvest in the mid of September or October. Kharif crops include rice, maize, bajra, ragi, soybean, groundnut, and cotton.
Rabi Crops
Rabi crops are harvested in the spring. Rabi season typically begins in the month of November and ends in the mid of March or April. Since the monsoons are already ended by November, irrigation is used to cultivate the Rabi crop. Unseasonal rains in November or December, for example, can wreak havoc on the crop. Producers sow the seeds in the early autumn, and the crop is harvested in the spring. Wheat, barley, mustard, and green peas are among India's most common rabi crops.
Types of Crops
Read More: Biotic Factors
Improvement in Food Resources
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Green Revolution
Green Revolution transformed agriculture into an industrial system in which we use high yielding variety (HYV) seeds, tractors, irrigation systems, pesticides, and fertilisers.
Read More About: Green Revolution
White Revolution
White Revolution or Operation Flood is associated with a dramatic increase in milk output in the country. During the White Revolution, India's goal was to become a milk-producing nation.
Read More: Biomass
Improvement in Crop Yield
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We can improve crop yield by the three approaches which are given below.
Crop variety improvement
The following are the factors that can be used to improve the variety of crops.
- Use of Good & Healthy Seeds.
- Hybridization technology: Hybridization is described as the cross-breeding of two organisms from genetically distinct groups or species. This intervarietal, interspecific, or intergeneric crossing may occur.
- Genetic Improvement: In genetically engineered crops, this yields the desired features and outcomes. It's becoming a more practical tool for developing better crop kinds to meet our residents' demands for food, fuel, and fibre.
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Improved seed properties
Following are the factors that are used to improve seeds variety:
- To boost the crop's per-acre productivity.
- Improved quality: More nutrients, such as carbs and proteins, should be provided. Protein quality in pulses, oil quality in oilseeds, and preserving quality in fruits and vegetables are all examples.
- Biotic resistance: It refers to illnesses, insects & nematodes that have an impact on crop productivity.
- Abiotic resistance: Drought, salt, waterlogging, heat, cold, and frost are examples of abiotic variables that affect crop productivity.
- Shorter Maturity Period - A shorter maturity period decreases crop production costs and makes the variety more cost-effective. Harvesting is made easier and losses are reduced when the ripeness is uniform.
- Greater adaptability: It permits crops to be produced in a variety of climates and environments.
- Agronomic features that are desirable: Tallness and profuse branching are desirable characteristics for fodder crops, while dwarfness is desired in cereals to reduce the number of nutrients required by these crops.
Crop production improvement
It entails a variety of farming strategies in order to reach greater crop production standards. Following techniques can help improve crop production.
- Nutrient Management
- Irrigation
- Cropping Patterns
Also read: Productivity in Ecosystem
Nutrient Management or Source
Plants as well as Other organisms, both require certain elements for their growth and Plants get their nutrients from the air, water, and soil. Through the following table, you can find out which nutrients come from which sources.
| Source | Nutrients |
|---|---|
| Water | Hydrogen, Oxygen |
| Air | Carbon, Oxygen |
| Soil | Micronutrients - Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and sulphur. Macronutrients - Iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper, molybdenum and chlorine. |
Manure
Manure includes a lot of organic matter and provides the soil with a little amount of nutrients. It is made from animal excreta and plant waste that has decomposed. It aids in the enrichment of soil with nutrients & organic matter, as well as the improvement of soil fertility.
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Fertilizers
Fertilizers are plant nutrients that are manufactured commercially. It serves as a source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They're utilised to promote healthy plant growth by ensuring good vegetative growth. It is a key reason for high-cost farming's better yields.
Irrigation
Crop success is highly dependent on proper irrigation. During the growth season, ensuring that the crop receives water at the appropriate times can boost the crop's predicted yield. Wells, canals, rivers, and tanks are all examples of irrigation systems.
Cropping Patterns
It covers a variety of crop-growing techniques in order to maximise yield. The following are some of the several methods:
- Mixed cropping - Mixed cropping is the practice of cultivating two or more crops on the same plot of land at the same time, such as wheat + gramme, wheat + mustard, or groundnut + sunflower. This lowers the danger of illness and provides some protection in the event that one of the crops fails.
- Inter-cropping - It entails cultivating two or more crops in a specific proportion or pattern on the same field at the same time. For example, soybean + maize, or finger millet (bajra) + cowpea.
- Crop rotation - Crop rotation is the process of cultivating different crops on the same piece of land in a predetermined order. It is done for various crop combinations depending on the period. After one harvest, the crop to be planted is determined by the availability of moisture and irrigation infrastructure.
Cropping Patterns Flowchart
Crop Protection Improvement
If the crop is in the field then it is needed to protect the weeds and insects. The following strategies are used to address these issues.
Pest Control during Growth
- Weeds: In a cultivated field, They are undesirable plants and fight for food, space, and light. Weeds rob nutrients from the crop and slow its growth.
- Insects: Insect pests target plants at the root, stem, and leaf levels. They drink the plant's cell sap and bore into the stem and fruits.
- Pathogens: Pathogens are any organisms that have the ability to cause disease. These creatures can be derived from plants from the soil, air, or water.
Storage of Grain
If stored properly, it will definitely be available throughout the year. In this comes biotic problems such as living organisms (insects, birds, fungus and bacteria) and abiotic problems such as moisture and unbalanced temperature. All these factors degrade the quality, lose weight, change the colour etc. This problem can be solved by proper service and warehouse cleaning, by killing pests and goods that are dried before transportation.
Organic farming
Process of cultivating unpolluted crops using manures, biofertilizers, and biopesticides in conjunction with healthy cropping systems that offer optimal nutrients to plants while keeping pests and weeds at bay.
In Organic farming, Chemical fertilisers, insecticides, and herbicides are used sparingly or not at all. Thus, there is no toxicity from crop plants, soil, water, or air pollution. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria and mineral-solubilizing bacteria are examples of biofertilizers. Weeds, insects, and other pests are repelled or killed by biopesticides, which are organisms or their extracts.
Steps of Organic Farming
Animal Husbandry
veterinary medicine, Domestic animal cultivation, management, and production under strict control, including breeding to increase attributes deemed desirable by humans. Animals are bred and raised for a variety of reasons, including food, fur, sport, and study.
Read More: Water Pollution Control
Fish Production
Fish can be obtained in two ways. First is catch fishing, which is based on natural resources. Fish farming, often known as culture fishery, is another option. Mullets, bhetki pearl spots, prawns, mussels, and oysters are among the high-value marine species. As marine fish stocks become lower, the only way to meet the need for more fish is through culture fisheries, also known as mariculture.
Bee-Keeping
Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the practice of people keeping bee colonies, usually in man-made hives. An apiary, sometimes known as a "bee yard," is a place where bees are kept.
Things to Remember [Click Here for Sample Questions]
- Proteins, carbs, lipids, vitamins, and minerals are all essential for bodily development, growth, and health, and are all found in food.
- For growth and completion of their life cycle, different crops require different climatic conditions, temperatures, and photoperiods.
- Manure has a small quantity of nutrients in it.
- Sunlight is required for plant and floral growth.
- Manure adds a lot of organic stuff to the soil, making it permeable.
Read More: Air Pollution
Sample Questions
Ques. What are the benefits of providing nutrients to plants? (2 Marks)
Ans. Plants, like humans, require diverse nutrients for growth, reproduction, and disease susceptibility. Plants require a lot of nutrients, and a lack of them might damage their physiological processes.
Ques. What factors should be considered when developing a new crop variety? (4 Marks)
Ans. During the development of a new crop variety, the following aspects must be taken into account.
- A new crop variety should, of course, produce a larger yield.
- The quality of the new crop variety must be improved. Protein quality in pulses, baking quality in wheat, oil quality in oil seeds, and preserving quality in fruits and vegetables are only a few examples.
- The new crop variety should be able to withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses. Disease, nematodes, insects, and other biotic variables have a considerable impact on crop productivity. Abiotic stresses on crops include drought, salinity, waterlogging, heat, cold, and frost, among others.
- Another desirable trait is a shorter maturation period or the time from seeding to harvesting. Farmers can harvest many harvests in a year due to the shorter maturity period. Farmers will benefit from this, as it is both helpful and cost-effective.
Read More About: Causes & Effects of Water Pollution
Ques. What makes animal husbandry so important? (3 Marks)
Ans. The following are some of the reasons why animal husbandry is important:
- Milk production should be increased. It also boosts the production of milk-based goods such as butter and cheese.
- To increase the production of extremely nutritious eggs and meat.
- To increase the amount of fish produced.
- To ensure that animal waste is properly disposed of.
Ques. What is manure? What are the benefits of using manure? (3 Marks)
Ans. Manure is created when animal excreta and plant waste decompose. It adds nutrients and organic materials to the soil. It also improves the soil's fertility. The presence of organic materials also improves the soil structure.
In sandy soils, the bulk of organic matter enhances water retention capacity. In clayey soils, on the other hand, it aids drainage and waterlogging. Manure is environmentally friendly because it is made from biological waste. As a result, it aids in garbage recycling. We may reduce the amount of fertilizer we use by using more manure.
Ques. What should we do to protect our crops? (3 Marks)
Ans. During the early phases of crop growth, manually or mechanically remove weeds.
- Weed management is also aided by timely sowing and good seed bed preparation.
- Weeds are also controlled by different cropping patterns, such as intercropping and crop rotation.
- Deep ploughing in the summer kills weeds and insect pests.
- Insect pests are less likely to attack crops that are resistant to them.
- Weeds, pests, and diseases are all controlled by spraying pesticides such as herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.
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