Crop Improvement Methods - class-VIII

In plants, vegetative propagation is a type of asexual reproduction in which a new plant develops from a vegetative part of plant. This vegetative part is basically a stem, root or any other part of plant which have tendency to reproduce.

Selection of crops for rotation depends on soil condition, moisture condition, length of rainy season, type of inputs available (irrigation, fertiliser, pesticide, labour and machine power), risk involved, duration of crop (annual, biennial or perennial) and marketing and processing facilities. 

The farm land is ploughed and then not used for the cultivation of the crops for some time. This helps in the land to gain the fertility again and the method is known as field fallow. This provides the land some time to replenish its nutrients so that the next round of crops can grow properly.

The crop rotation is a pattern of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area in the sequential season. It is a method of replenishment of nutrients by the regular succession over the same field. It enhances the health of crops and minimizes the amount of pest. Thus, the correct answer is option D.

Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops on the same piece of land in alternate rows. It increases the land productivity and acts as an insurance for the farmers during the crop failure.

Intercropping is a cropping practice that involves growing two or more crops in proximity in different rows. This practice of cultivating different crops gives higher income than the sole cropping. Intercropping maintains the soil fertility and reduces the soil runoff. 

Intercropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same field in a definite pattern which avoids the competition between both the crops. The sowing time of crops in this pattern may be the same or different.

Mixed farming is a method of agriculture which involves cropping as well as raising livestock. For example growing of cereal crops with cattle farming as cattle excrete nitrogenous waste that can be used as manure for cereals whereas waste from crops is used as fooder and reduces the use of artificial fertilizers.

• Mixed cropping is also known as polyculture, inter-cropping or co-cultivation.
  
• It is a type of agriculture technique in which two or more plants are planted simultaneously in the same field, interlinking the crops so that they grow together.
  
• Benefits of mixed cropping are:-

Growing fodder grass for cattle along with fruit trees or growing fruit trees while rearing cattle is known as horti-pastoral farming. It is adopted as an alternative land use system in North India. Thus, the correct answer is option D.

A- Inter cropping is farming in which two or more crops are grown together indefinite pattern at same time on same piece of land for greater yield. Inter cropping maintains soil fertility and reduces soil erosion and depletion.

Inter-cropping involves growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field. To minimize competition for resources like nutrients, crops with different nutrient requirements are selected.

Mixed cropping involves growing two or more crops together without a definite row pattern. This practice reduces the risk of total crop failure if one crop fails due to pests or weather, providing a form of insurance.

Inter-cropping optimizes the use of natural resources (sunlight, water, land), helps prevent soil erosion by providing better ground cover, and allows for separate harvesting and marketing of the different crops.

Mixed cropping is a system of planting two crops at a time on the same land. It is also known as polyculture i.e two types of crops are sown and irrigated at a time. The benefits of mixed cropping are that the plant will get nutrients from the soils.

Explanation: Mixed farming is an agrarian system that mixes arable farming with the raising of livestock at the same time. When on a farm along-with crop production, some other agriculture based practice like poultry, dairy farming or bee keeping etc. is adopted, then this system of farming is known as mixed farming.

When the same land is used for the cultivation of more than one crop is known as mixed cropping. The same field is divided into smaller regions. The seeds of different crops are sown and cultivation of different crops is carried out in the same piece of land. 

Mixed cropping is a technique which involves growing up of two or more different crops in the same field. The different crops to be grown together are so chosen that they do not have common pests and pathogens or similar requirement of water and animals. For example, ground nut and sunflower/gram.

Mixed cropping is a system of planting two or more crops at a time on the same land. It is also known as poly-culture i.e two types of crops are sown and irrigated at a time.  Mustard and wheat is an example of mixed cropping.

The method of growing two or more crops simultaneously on same piece of land is called mixed cropping or inter-cropping. This method helps in improving the fertility of soil. It is very important that crops support each others growth to grow all of them on same piece of land.