Inter-cropping is growing two or more (gokhroo), Parthenium (gajar ghas), Cyperinus

crops simultaneously on the same field in a rotundus (motha). They compete for food,
definite pattern (Fig.12.2). A few rows of one space and light. Weeds take up nutrients and
crop alternate with a few rows of a second reduce the growth of the crop. Therefore,
crop, for example, soyabean + maize, or finger removal of weeds from cultivated fields during
millet (bajra) + cowpea (lobia). The crops are the early stages of crop growth is essential for
selected such that their nutrient a good harvest.
requirements are different. This ensures Generally insect pests attack the plants
maximum utilisation of the nutrients in three ways: (i) they cut the root, stem and
supplied, and also prevents pests and leaf, (ii) they suck the cell sap from various
diseases from spreading to all the plants parts of the plant, and (iii) they bore into stem
belonging to one crop in a field. This way, and fruits. They thus affect the health of the
both crops can give better returns. crop and reduce yields.
Diseases in plants are caused by
pathogens such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.
These pathogens can be present in and
transmitted through the soil, water and air.
Weeds, insects and diseases can be
controlled by various methods. One of the
most commonly used methods is the use of
pesticides, which include herbicides,
insecticides and fungicides. These chemicals
are sprayed on crop plants or used for treating
seeds and soil. However, excessive use of
these chemicals creates problems, since they
can be poisonous to many plant and animal
species and cause environmental pollution.
Weed control methods also include
mechanical removal. Preventive methods
Fig. 12.2 : Intercropping such as proper seed bed preparation, timely
sowing of crops, intercropping and crop
The growing of different crops on a piece rotation also help in weed control. Some other
of land in a pre-planned succession is known preventive measures against pests are the use
as crop rotation. Depending upon the of resistant varieties, and summer ploughing,
duration, crop rotation is done for different in which fields are ploughed deep in summers
crop combinations. The availability of moisture to destroy weeds and pests.
and irrigation facilities decide the choice of the
uestion

Q
crop to be cultivated after one harvest. If crop
rotation is done properly then two or three
crops can be grown in a year with 1. Which of the following conditions
good harvests. will give the most benefits? Why?
(a) Farmers use high-quality
seeds, do not adopt
12.1.3 CROP PROTECTION MANAGEMENT irrigation or use fertilizers.
Field crops are infested by a large number of (b) Far mers use ordinary
weeds, insect pests and diseases. If weeds and seeds, adopt irrigation and
pests are not controlled at the appropriate use fertilizer.
time then they can damage the crops so much (c) Farmers use quality seeds,
that most of the crop is lost. adopt irrigation, use
Weeds are unwanted plants in the fertilizer and use crop
cultivated field, for example, Xanthium protection measures.

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 Table 12.2: Nutritional values of animal products

Animal Per cent (%) Nutrients

Products
Fat Protein Sugar Minerals Water Vitamins
Milk (Cow) 3.60 4.00 4.50 0.70 87.20 B1, B2, B12, D, E
Egg 12.00 13.00 * 1.00 74.00 B2, D
Meat 3.60 21.10 * 1.10 74.20 B2, B12
Fish 2.50 19.00 * 1.30 77.20 Niacin, D, A

*Present in very small amounts

Activity _____________ 12.1 Activity _____________ 12.2

• Visit a nearby garden/agricultural • Collect grains/seeds of cereals,
field and make a list of the weeds and pulses and oil seeds and gather
the flowers/crops found in the area. information about the seasons in
Also, make a list of insect pests, if which they are sown and harvested.
any, infesting the flowers/crops.

STORAGE OF GRAINS
12.2 Animal Husbandry
Storage losses in agricultural produce can be Animal husbandry is the scientific
very high. Factors responsible for such losses management of animal livestock. It includes
are biotic— insects, rodents, fungi, mites and various aspects such as feeding, breeding and
bacteria, and abiotic— inappropriate moisture disease control. Animal-based far ming
and temperatures in the place of storage. These includes cattle, goat, sheep, poultry and fish
factors cause degradation in quality, loss in farming. As the population increases and as
weight, poor germinability, discolouration of living standards increase, the demand for
produce, all leading to poor marketability. milk, eggs and meat is also going up. Also,
These factors can be controlled by proper the growing awareness of the need for
treatment and by systematic management of humane treatment of livestock has brought
warehouses. in new limitations in livestock farming. Thus,
Preventive and control measures are used livestock production also needs to be improved.
before grains are stored for future use. They
include strict cleaning of the produce before 12.2.1 CATTLE FARMING
storage, proper drying of the produce first in
sunlight and then in shade, and fumigation Cattle husbandry is done for two purposes—
using chemicals that can kill pests. milk and draught labour for agricultural work
such as tilling, irrigation and carting. Indian

Q
uestions cattle belong to two different species, Bos
indicus, cows, and Bos bubalis, buffaloes.
1. Why should preventive measures Milk-producing females are called milch
and biological control methods be animals (dairy animals), while the ones used
preferred for protecting crops? for farm labour are called draught animals.
2. What factors may be responsible Milk production depends, to some extent,
for losses of grains during on the duration of the lactation period,
storage? meaning the period of milk production after

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 loose hair. They should be sheltered under
well-ventilated roofed sheds that protect them
from rain, heat and cold. The floor of the cattle
shed needs to be sloping so as to stay dry
and to facilitate cleaning.
The food requirements of dairy animals
are of two types: (a) maintenance
requirement, which is the food required to
support the animal to live a healthy life, and
(b) milk producing requirement, which is the
type of food required during the lactation
period. Animal feed includes: (a) roughage,
which is largely fibre, and (b) concentrates,
which are low in fibre and contain relatively
high levels of proteins and other nutrients.
Cattle need balanced rations containing all
nutrients in proportionate amounts. Besides
such nutritious food material, certain feed
Fig. 12.3: Indigenous milch breed of cattle additives containing micronutrients promote
the health and milk output of dairy animals.
the birth of a calf. So, milk production can be Cattle suffer from a number of diseases.
increased by increasing the lactation period. The diseases, besides causing death, reduce
Exotic or foreign breeds (for example, Jersey, milk production. A healthy animal feeds
Brown Swiss) are selected for long lactation regularly and has a normal posture. The
periods, while local breeds (for example, Red parasites of cattle may be both external
Sindhi, Sahiwal) show excellent resistance to parasites and internal parasites. The external
diseases. The two can be cross-bred to get parasites live on the skin and mainly cause
animals with both the desired qualities. skin diseases. The internal parasites like
worms, affect stomach and intestine while

Q
uestion flukes damage the liver. Infectious diseases
are also caused by bacteria and viruses.
1. Which method is commonly used
Vaccinations are given to farm animals
for improving cattle breeds and
against many major viral and bacterial
why?
diseases.

12.2.2 POULTRY FARMING

Activity _____________ 12.3 Poultry farming is undertaken to raise
• Visit a livestock farm. Note the domestic fowl for egg production and chicken
following: meat. Therefore, improved poultry breeds are
(1) Number of cattle and number of developed and farmed to produce layers for
different breeds. eggs and broilers for meat.
(2) The amount of daily milk production
The cross-breeding programmes between
from the different breeds.
Indian (indigenous, for example, Aseel) and
Proper cleaning and shelter facilities for foreign (exotic, for example, Leghorn) breeds
cows and buffaloes are required for humane for variety improvement are focused on to
farming, for the health of the animals and develop new varieties for the following
for production of clean milk as well. Animals desirable traits—
require regular brushing to remove dirt and (i) number and quality of chicks;

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 (ii) dwarf broiler parent for commercial The ration (daily food requirement) for broilers
chick production; is protein rich with adequate fat. The level of
(iii) summer adaptation capacity/ vitamins A and K is kept high in the poultry
tolerance to high temperature; feeds.
(iv) low maintenance requirements; Poultry fowl suffer from a number of
(v) reduction in the size of the egg-laying diseases caused by virus, bacteria, fungi,
bird with ability to utilise more parasites, as well as from nutritional
fibrous cheaper diets formulated deficiencies. These necessitate proper
using agricultural by-products. cleaning, sanitation, and spraying of
disinfectants at regular intervals. Appropriate
vaccination can prevent the occurrence of
infectious diseases and reduce loss of poultry
during an outbreak of disease.

uestions

Q
1. What management practices are
common in dairy and poultry
farming?
Aseel Leghorn
2. What are the differences between
broilers and layers and in their
Fig. 12.4 management?

uestion

Q
Activity _____________ 12.4
1. Discuss the implications of the
following statement: • Visit a local poultry farm. Observe
“It is interesting to note that types of breeds and note the type of
poultry is India’s most efficient ration, housing and lighting facilities
given to them. Identify the growers,
converter of low fibre food stuff
layers and broilers.
(which is unfit for human
consumption) into highly
nutritious animal protein food.”
12.2.3 FISH PRODUCTION

EGG AND BROILER PRODUCTION Fish is a cheap source of animal protein for
our food. Fish production includes the finned
Broiler chickens are fed with vitamin-rich true fish as well as shellfish such as prawns
supplementary feed for good growth rate and and molluscs. There are two ways of obtaining
better feed efficiency. Care is taken to avoid fish. One is from natural resources, which is
mortality and to maintain feathering and called capture fishing. The other way is by
carcass quality. They are produced as broilers fish farming, which is called culture fishery.
and sent to market for meat purposes. The water source of the fish can be either
For good production of poultry birds, good seawater or fresh water, such as in rivers and
management practices are important. These ponds. Fishing can thus be done both by
include maintenance of temperature and capture and culture of fish in marine and
hygienic conditions in housing and poultry freshwater ecosystems.
feed, as well as prevention and control of
diseases and pests. 12.2.3 (i) MARINE FISHERIES
The housing, nutritional and
environmental requirements of broilers are India’s marine fishery resources include
somewhat different from those of egg layers. 7500 km of coastline and the deep seas

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beyond it. Popular marine fish varieties In such a system, a combination of five or
include pomphret, mackerel, tuna, sardines, six fish species is used in a single fishpond.
and Bombay duck. Marine fish are caught These species are selected so that they do
using many kinds of fishing nets from fishing not compete for food among them having
boats. Yields are increased by locating large different types of food habits. As a result, the
schools of fish in the open sea using satellites food available in all the parts of the pond is
and echo-sounders. used. As Catlas are surface feeders, Rohus
Some marine fish of high economic value feed in the middle-zone of the pond, Mrigals
are also farmed in seawater. This includes and Common Carps are bottom feeders, and
finned fishes like mullets, bhetki, and pearl Grass Carps feed on the weeds, together these
spots, shellfish such as prawns (Fig. 12.5), species (Fig. 12.6) can use all the food in the
mussels and oysters as well as seaweed. pond without competing with each other. This
Oysters are also cultivated for the pearls increases the fish yield from the pond.
they make.

(a)
(b)
Macrobrachium rosenbergii Peneaus monodon
(fresh water) (marine)

Fig. 12.5 : Fresh water and marine prawns

(c)
(d)
As marine fish stocks get further depleted,
the demand for more fish can only be met by
such culture fisheries, a practice called
mariculture.

12.2.3 (ii) INLAND FISHERIES (e)

Fresh water resources include canals, ponds, (f)

reservoirs and rivers. Brackish water
resources, where seawater and fresh water Fig. 12.6: (a) Catla (b) Silver carp (c) Rohu (d) Grass
mix together, such as estuaries and lagoons Carp (e) Mrigal (f) Common Carp
are also important fish reservoirs. While
capture fishing is also done in such inland One problem with such composite fish
water bodies, the yield is not high. Most fish culture is that many of these fish breed only
production from these resources is through during monsoon. Even if fish seed is collected
aquaculture. from the wild, it can be mixed with that of
Fish culture is sometimes done in other species as well. So, a major problem in
combination with a rice crop, so that fish are fish farming is the lack of availability of good-
grown in the water in the paddy field. More quality seed. To overcome this problem, ways
intensive fish far ming can be done in have now been worked out to breed these fish
composite fish culture systems. Both local in ponds using hormonal stimulation. This
and imported fish species are used in such has ensured the supply of pure fish seed in
systems. desired quantities.

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Q
uestions
1. How are fish obtained?
2. What are the advantages of
composite fish culture?

Activity _____________ 12.5

• Visit a fish farm in fish breeding (a) (b)
season and note the following:
(1) Varieties of fish in fish farm Fig. 12.7: (a) Arrangement of beehive in an apiary
(2) Types of ponds (b) honey extractor
(3) Feed ingredients used
(4) Production capacity of the farm This is the variety commonly used for
If there are no fish farms close to your commercial honey production.
locality, gather the above information from The Italian bees have high honey collection
Internet, by referring books or talking to capacity. They sting somewhat less. They stay
people who are engaged in fishery.
in a given beehive for long periods, and breed
very well. For commercial honey production,
12.2.4 BEE-KEEPING bee farms or apiaries are established.
Honey is widely used and therefore bee- The value or quality of honey depends
keeping for making honey has become an upon the pasturage, or the flowers available
agricultural enterprise. Since bee-keeping to the bees for nectar and pollen collection.
needs low investments, farmers use it as an In addition to adequate quantity of pasturage,
additional income generating activity. In the kind of flowers available will determine
addition to honey, the beehives are a source the taste of the honey.
of wax which is used in various medicinal
preparations.
uestions

Q
The local varieties of bees used for
commercial honey production are Apis cerana 1. What are the desirable
indica, commonly known as the Indian bee, characters of bee varieties
A. dorsata, the rock bee and A. florae, the little suitable for honey production?
bee. An Italian bee variety, A. mellifera, has 2. What is pasturage and how is it
also been brought in to increase yield of honey. related to honey production?

What
you have
learnt
• There are several nutrients essential for crops. Of these,
some are required in large quantities and are known as
macro-nutrients whereas rest of the nutrients are required
in small quantities and are known as micro-nutrients.
• Manure and fertilizers are the main sources of nutrient
supply to crops.
• Organic farming is a farming system with minimal or no use
of chemicals as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides etc. and

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 with a maximum input of organic manures, recyled farm wastes, and
bio-agents, with healthy cropping systems.
• Mixed farming is a system of farming on a particular farm which
includes crop production, raising of livestock etc.
• Mixed cropping is growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the
same piece of land.
• Growing two or more crops in definite row patterns is known as inter-
cropping.
• The growing of different crops on a piece of land in pre-planned
succession is called crop rotation.
• Varietal improvement is required for higher yield, good quality, biotic
and abiotic resistance, shortening the maturity duration, wider
adaptability and desirable agronomic characteristics.
• Farm animals require proper care and management such as shelter,
feeding, breeding and disease control. This is called animal husbandry.
• Poultry farming is done to raise domestic fowls. Poultry production
includes egg production and broiler production for poultry meat.
• To enhance poultry production, cross breeding is done between Indian
and exotic breeds for variety improvement.
• Fish may be obtained from marine resources as well as inland
resources.
• To increase production of fish, they can be cultured in marine and
inland ecosystems.
• Marine fish capture is done by fishing nets guided by echo-sounders
and satellites.
• Composite fish culture system is commonly used for
fish farming.
• Bee-keeping is done to get honey and wax.

Exercises
1. Explain any one method of crop production which ensures high yield.
2. Why are manure and fertilizers used in fields?
3. What are the advantages of inter-cropping and crop rotation?
4. What is genetic manipulation? How is it useful in agricultural practices?
5. How do storage grain losses occur?
6. How do good animal husbandry practices benefit farmers?
7. What are the benefits of cattle farming?
8. For increasing production, what is common in poultry, fisheries and
bee-keeping?
9. How do you differentiate between capture fishing, mariculture and
aquaculture?

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