NCERT Solutions Class 9 Science Chapter 15: Improvement In Food Resources

Improvement in Food Resources

• Cereals are the source of carbohydrates and provide energy, while pulses provide protein for growth and development.
• Fruits and vegetables are rich in minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, essential for overall development.

Factors Affecting Crop Production

• Biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (non-living factors) affect crop production.
• Desirable agronomic characteristics for crop improvement include: • High yield • Disease resistance • Pest resistance • Drought tolerance • Lodging resistance

Macronutrients

• Macronutrients are essential elements required by plants in large quantities.
• Macronutrients include: • Nitrogen (N) • Phosphorus (P) • Sulphur (S) • Calcium (Ca) • Magnesium (Mg)
• These macronutrients are necessary for plant growth and are present in: • Proteins • Cell walls • Chlorophyll

Plant Nutrition

• Plants require 16 basic essential nutrients to grow.
• Carbon and Oxygen are supplied by water, while the remaining nutrients are supplied through the soil.

Soil Fertility

• Manure and fertilizers are used to maintain soil fertility.
• Fertilizers provide immediate benefits, but their effects are short-term and can lead to soil degradation.
• Manure, on the other hand, provides long-term benefits and improves soil fertility.

Crop Protection

• Preventive measures and biological control methods are preferred for protecting crops due to the environmental hazards associated with chemical pesticides.
• Biological control methods, such as bio-pesticides, are used to protect crops from pathogens, insects, and rodents.

Grain Storage

• Biotic factors (living organisms) and abiotic factors (non-living factors) are responsible for grain losses during storage.
• Factors responsible for grain losses include: • Insects • Rodents • Microorganisms • Moisture • Temperature fluctuations