Geography
Punjab is known as the food granary of India growing most of the cereal and cash crops but is facing declining crop yields and poor soil conditions. It is one of the biggest exporter of rice and cotton crops.
(a) What climatic conditions favour rice growth in the above-mentioned area?
(b) What is the difference between cereal and cash crops? Can a cereal be a cash crop?
(c) Suggest the sustainable agricultural practices to improve soil fertility.
Indian Agriculture Introduction
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Answer
(a) The climatic-conditions favouring rice growth in Punjab are as follows-
- Temperature — Punjab offers favourable temperature conditions for rice cultivation. During the Kharif season, it experiences warm and humid weather, with temperatures ranging from 16°C to 20°C during the flowering and fertilisation stage, and 18°C to 32°C during ripening which is ideal for healthy rice growth.
- Soil — Punjab has fertile alluvial soil that retains water well making it perfect for rice, which needs standing water to grow.
(b) Difference between Cereal and Cash crops
| Cereal crops | Cash crops |
|---|---|
| 'Cereals' denotes all kinds of grass-like plants, which have starchy, edible seeds. | Cash crops are those that are primarily grown for sale and not only for use by the grower and his family. |
| Because of their simple form of cultivation and their high nutritional value, they have formed the basic diet of mankind. | The cash crops provide raw material to agro-based industries. They provide money to the farmers not only to improve their living conditions, but also to improve their farming practices. |
| Examples- rice, wheat, maize, barley, rye, oats, millets. | Examples- Sugarcane, Oilseeds, Beverages like Tea and Coffee, Fibres like Cotton and Jute, Tobacco, Rubber. |
Yes, a cereal crop can also be a cash crop if it is grown primarily for sale.
For example- Rice and Wheat.
(c) The sustainable agricultural practices to improve soil fertility are as follows:
- Crop Rotation
- Organic farming
- Cover cropping
- Green Manuring
- Agroforestry
- Vermicomposting
- Mulching
- Reduced Tillage
- Precision farming
- Biofertilizers
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