Crop Protection - Weeds, Pests, and Diseases - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Chapter: Improvement in Food Resources | Topic: Crop Protection Weeds Pests Diseases
CROP PROTECTION - WEEDS, PESTS, AND DISEASES - UNSOLVED PRACTICE SET
Topic: Crop Protection Weeds Pests Diseases
Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Unwanted plants that grow in cultivated fields and compete with crops for nutrients, water, and sunlight are called:
- Crops
- Weeds
- Fertilisers
- Manure
Q2. Which of the following is a common weed found in wheat fields in India?
- Rice
- Parthenium (Congress grass)
- Sugarcane
- Cotton
Q3. Pests damage crops by:
- Adding nutrients to the soil
- Eating plant parts, sucking sap, or boring into stems and fruits
- Helping in pollination
- Increasing soil moisture
Q4. Biological control of pests involves:
- Using chemical pesticides
- Using natural predators or parasites to control pest populations
- Burning the crops
- Using genetically modified seeds only
Q5. A farmer notices yellow spots on his paddy leaves and stunted growth. This is most likely caused by:
- A pest like the brown plant hopper or a fungal disease like blast
- Too much manure
- Excessive irrigation
- Strong wind
Short Answer Questions
Q6. What are weeds? Name two common weeds in Indian crop fields and explain how they harm the main crop.
Q7. Differentiate between pests and pathogens. Give one example of each that affects rice crops in India.
Q8. What is biological pest control? Give one example of how ladybirds and dragonflies help farmers without using chemicals.
Q9. A farmer sprays chemical pesticides every week on his vegetable farm. Over time, he notices that the pests are becoming harder to kill. What could be happening, and what alternative approach could he try?
Long Answer Questions
Q10. Explain the major threats to crop production: weeds, pests, and diseases. Describe how each affects crop yield, give specific examples from Indian agriculture (like parthenium in wheat fields, bollworms in cotton, or blast disease in rice), and discuss the methods used to control them — including mechanical, chemical, and biological methods.
Q11. "Chemical pesticides are a double-edged sword for Indian farmers." Discuss this statement by explaining: the benefits of chemical pesticides in protecting crops and increasing yield, the problems they cause (pesticide resistance, soil and water pollution, health hazards for farmers, killing beneficial insects), and why integrated pest management (IPM) combining biological, cultural, and limited chemical methods is considered the sustainable solution.
APPLICATION / ANALYSIS
Q12. Case Study — Cotton Farm Crisis:
A cotton farmer in Maharashtra recorded his data over three years:
| Year | Pesticide Sprays | Pest Damage (%) | Pesticide Cost (Rs) | Farmer Health Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8 | 15% | Rs 15,000 | Mild skin irritation |
| 2022 | 12 | 25% | Rs 22,000 | Severe skin problems, breathing difficulty |
| 2023 | 15 | 35% | Rs 28,000 | Hospitalised for pesticide poisoning |
Answer the following:
(a) Why is pest damage increasing even though the farmer is spraying more pesticides? Explain the concept of pesticide resistance.
(b) Calculate the percentage increase in pesticide cost from 2021 to 2023. Show your work.
(c) What integrated pest management strategy would you recommend to break this dangerous cycle? Suggest two specific biological or cultural methods for cotton.
Q13. Real-Life Application — School Vegetable Garden:
Your school has a vegetable garden where students grow tomatoes, brinjal, and spinach. The gardener reports:
| Problem | Observation |
|---|---|
| Weeds | Grass growing between vegetable rows |
| Pests | Caterpillars eating tomato leaves |
| Disease | White powdery spots on brinjal leaves |