Class- 5th€¦ · potato, ginger, turmeric, sweet potato, Dahlia, mint, sugarcane, banana, Bryophyllum, strawberry, Gladiolus, cactus and grapes. WIN POINT 1.1 Basic Parts in the

Class- 5th Science Study Booklet

Plants around Us - II

PLANTS AROUND US - II

1. VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION

In vegetative propagation, new plants are obtained from the parts of old plants (like stems, roots and leaves), without the help of any reproductive organs. Vegetative propagation is also called vegetative reproduction. It is called vegetative propagation because the production of new plants takes place through the vegetative parts (stems, roots or leaves) of the existing plants. Vegetative propagation usually involves the growth and development of one (or more) buds on the old part of the plant to produce a new plant. The stems, roots and leaves are called vegetative parts of a plant. Some of the plants which are usually reproduced by the method of vegetative propagation are: rose, champa (Magnolia), potato, ginger, turmeric, sweet potato, Dahlia, mint, sugarcane, banana, Bryophyllum, strawberry, Gladiolus, cactus and grapes.

1.1 Basic Parts in the stem of a plant

Node - Node is a point on the stem (or branch) of a plant where a leaf is attached. Buds are also present in the node regions of a plant.

Axil - Axil is the upper angle between a leaf stalk and the stem (or branch) from which it is growing.

Bud - Bud is a compact, knob-like undeveloped shoot consisting of a shortened stem and immature overlapping leaves (or floral parts). Buds are the growing points of a plant. The buds at the end of a stem or branch are called terminal buds. The buds present in the axil of a plant are called axillary buds. Axillary buds are also called vegetative buds. When axillary buds (or vegetative buds) grow, they normally produce branches (with leaves). The axillary buds (or vegetative buds) can give rise to new plants. Thus, vegetative buds of a plant are used as a means of asexual reproduction for producing new plants.

1.2 Vegetative Propagation by Stems

New plants can be obtained from the stem (or branch) of an existing plant by the method of ‘cuttings’. A small part of stem (or branch) of a plant which is removed by making a cut with a sharp knife, is called a cutting. While making a cutting, care should be taken to see that there are some buds on it. The cutting planted in soil is watered everyday. After a few days, the cutting develops roots. The bud grows and produces a shoot (branch with leaves). Ultimately, a new plant is produced from the stem cutting of existing plant. The new plant formed from a cutting is exactly similar to the parent plant. The plants like rose, champa, grapes, sugarcane,

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bananas, Bougainvillea, Chrysanthemum, cactus and henna (mehndi) can be grown by cutting method Money plant can also be grown by the cuttings method of vegetative propagation. An advantage of the cuttings method is that by using this method we can produce many new plants from just one plant quickly, without waiting for flowers and seeds. Each potato plant produces more than one tuber (a tuber is the thickened underground stem or root of a plant which is swollen with stored food), and each tuber has more than one bud (which produce more than one new plant). Due to this, the vegetative propagation method of producing potato plants by using ‘potato tuber cuttings’ is much faster than the production of potato plants from seeds. Ginger and turmeric are also modified, underground stems swollen with food (but they are not tubers). These plants have buds on their body, so ginger and turmeric can be grown like potato plants.

Eyes of potato Rhizome of ginger

1.3 Vegetative Propagation by Roots

The roots of plants normally do not bear buds. There are, however, some plants which have modified, thickened roots which bear buds. For example, sweet potato plant has modified roots thickened with stored food which are called root tubers. Sweet potato plants are reproduced by the method of vegetative propagation through their root tubers. Another plant called Dahlia also has root tubers. The root tubers of Dahlia have buds in them which can grow to produce new Dahlia plants.

1.4 Vegetative Propagation by Leaves

Some plants reproduce themselves from leaves. The leaves of some plants develop buds on them. Such leaves having buds can be used as structures of vegetative reproduction in plants. One example of a plant which can reproduce from its leaves is Bryophyllum (Bryophyllum is also called sprout leaf plant). The leaves of Bryophyllum plant develop some buds in its margins. The plants such as cacti produce new plants when their parts get detached from the main body and fall on the ground.

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Bulbil of Agave Leaf buds of Bryophyllum Offset of water hyacinth

1.5 Advantages of Vegetative Propagation of Plants

The reproduction of plants by the methods of vegetative propagation has the following advantages:

The new plants produced by vegetative propagation take much less time to grow and bear flowers and fruits as compared to the plants grown from seeds.

The new plants produced by vegetative propagation are exactly like the parent plant (because they are produced from a single parent). So, all the desirable features of the parent plant will be replicated in the new plants. On the other hand, the plants produced from seeds (made by sexual reproduction) have features of both the parents (male and female).

2. ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF PLANTS

The process of growing many plants from one plant by man-made methods is called artificial propagation of plants. Artificial vegetative propagation is usually used for the propagation of those plants which produce either very few seeds or do not produce viable seeds. The three common methods for the artificial propagation of plants are: Cuttings Layering Grafting

2.1 Cuttings

A small part of a plant which is removed by making a cut with a sharp knife is called a ‘cutting’. A cutting may be a

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piece of stem, root or even a leaf. While making a cutting, care should to taken to see that there are some buds on it. The plants like rose, grapes, Bougainvillea, Chrysanthemum, sugarcane, bananas and cactus etc., can be grown by means cuttings.

2.2 Layering

In this method, a branch of the plant is pulled towards the ground and a part of it is covered with moist soil leaving the tip of the branch exposed above the ground. After some time, new roots develop from the part of the branch buried in the soil. The branch is then cut off from the parent plant. The part of the branch which has developed roots grows to become a new plant (just like the parent plant). The layering method is used for the propagation (or reproduction) of plants like: Jasmine, Strawberry, Raspberry, Lemon, Guava, Hibiscus (China rose), Bougainvillea and many slender ornamental plants.

2.3 Grafting

Grafting is a method in which the cut stems of two different plants (one with roots and other without roots) are joined together in such a way that the two stems join and grow as a single plant. Apple, peach, apricot and pear trees are often grafted.

(i) The cut stem of a plant (or tree) having roots (and fixed in soil) is called stock. Stock is the lower part of a plant (or tree) having the roots.

(ii)The cut stem of another plant (without roots) is called scion. Scion is the upper part of a plant which may have leaves on it (but no roots).

2.4 Advantages of Artificial Vegetative Propagation

The new plants produced by artificial vegetative propagation will be exactly like the parent plant. The fruit trees grown from cuttings or by grafting start to bear fruits much

earlier. Need less attention in their early years than the plants grown from seeds. Many plants can be grown from just one parent plant. We can also get seedless plants by artificial propagation.

3. SEED STRUCTURE

Seeds are divided into two groups. Seeds containing two cotyledons are known as dicot seed.

For example: Seeds of mango, jambu, jackfruit and dates, etc. Seeds containing one cotyledon are known as monocot seed.

For example: Seeds of coconut, betel-nut, paddy, wheat, maize etc.

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Seed of common bean (Dicot) Seed of corn (Monocot)

There are five major parts of a dicot seed. Seed coat: the seed coat protects the embryo. Cotyledon: the cotyledon stores food; there are two cotyledons in dicot seeds. Hilum: the hilum is the point of attachment to its seed vessel. Plumule: the plumule is the shoot of the seed where the leaves will first appear. Radicle: the radicle is the root of the seed.

In the monocot seed there are also five major parts. Seed coat: the seed coat protects the seed. Cotyledon: the cotyledon is the leaf of the seed; there is only one cotyledon in

monocot seeds. Plumule: the plumule of the monocot seed is the shoot of the seed. Radicle: the radicle of the seed is the root of the seed. Endosperm: the endosperm is the food supply for the seed; the dicot seeds

contain endosperms in some of the mature seeds.

4. GERMINATION

The seeds obtained from a plant are usually very dry. They are said to be dormant. When a seed gets water, air and warmth, etc., it begins to grow. When a seed begins to grow, it is said to germinate. The beginning of the growth of seeds is called germination of seeds. Germination begins when the seeds absorbs water, swells and bursts through the seed coat. The radicle of seed grows first to form the root. The root pushes down into the soil and begins to absorb water and minerals from the soil. After this the plumule grows upwards to form the shoot. The shoot and root grow further. When the shoot comes up above the ground, it develops green leaves. The green leaves of the shoot begin to synthesise own food in the presence of sunlight. The seedling grows gradually and ultimately becomes a new plant. Wheat grains, gram (chana), maize (makka), peas and beans, etc. are all seeds. All these seeds can germinate when sown in soil under suitable conditions to produce new plants. Germination

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5. DISPERSAL OF SEEDS and FRUITS

‘Dispersal of seeds’ means ‘to scatter seeds over a wide area’. The same kind of plants (and trees) grow at different places because their seeds are dispersed to different places by the various natural agents such as wind, water and animals, etc.

Seed dispersal is beneficial to the plants because it provides the following advantages to the plants: Seed dispersal prevents the overcrowding of plants in an area. Seed dispersal prevents the competition for water, minerals and sunlight

among the same kind of plants. Seed dispersal helps the plants to grow in new places (or new habitats) for

wider distribution.

The main agents for the dispersal of seeds and fruits are wind, water and animals. Some seeds are also dispersed by an explosive mechanism in which the ripe fruits of some plants burst on their own by making a little explosion and throw their seeds away from the plant with a great force.

5.1 Dispersal of Seeds and Fruits by Wind

The seeds and fruits dispersed by wind either have wing-like structures or they have hair or they are very small and light, which helps them to be easily carried away by the blowing wind. Seeds or fruits which are dispersed by wind are: Drumstick, Maple, Madar (Aak), Sunflower, Cotton, Grasses, Orchids and Begonia.

(a) drumstick (b) maple (c) madar (aak) (d) sunflower

SEEDS OF DIFFERENT PLANTS

5.2 Dispersal of seeds and fruits by water

The seeds and fruits which are dispersed by water develop ‘floating ability’ in the form of ‘spongy’ or ‘fibrous’ outer coats. Coconut fruits floating in sea-water are carried hundreds of kilometers away by the sea currents to other parts of land. It is due to the dispersal of coconut fruits by sea-water that coconut trees grow in all the coastal areas. Two such plants are: Coconut and Water lily.

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5.3 Dispersal of seeds and fruits by animals

Some fruits develop hooks on their surface by which they get attached to the hairy bodies of the passing animals and carried away to distant places. The two seeds/fruits dispersed by animals are: Xanthium and Urena. Xanthium

5.4 Dispersal of seeds by an Explosive mechanism

When some fruits ripen, strain is set up in their walls until the fruits split into two halves (making a small explosion) and their seeds are thrown away from the plant with a great force in all directions. The two plants whose seeds are dispersed by an explosive mechanism involving the sudden bursting of their ripe fruits are: Castor and Balsam.

6. AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES

When plants of the same kind are grown and cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. For example, crop of wheat means that all the plants grown in a field are that of wheat. Crops are of different types like cereals, vegetables and fruits. These can be classified on the basis of the season in which they grow. Some of the examples of crop are given below: Cereal crops: Wheat, Paddy (Rice), Maize, Millet (Bajra, Jawar), Barley Pulses: Gram (Chana), Peas, Beans Oil seeds: Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower Vegetables: Tomato, Cabbage, Spinach Fruits: Banana, Grapes, Guava, Mango, Orange, Apple

Note: Green Revolution (high production of food grains), Blue revolution (enhanced fish production), White revolution (increased milk production), Yellow revolution (increased oil production) and Golden revolution (increased pulse production).

6.1 Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture can be defined as the adoption of various farming and production management techniques to maximize agricultural yield. Implementing such practices would help in:

(a) conserving natural resources, (b) maintaining environmental balance, and (c) coping with changing human needs.

It is necessary to adopt sustainable agricultural practices such as mixed farming, crop rotation, intercropping and integrated farming. Integrated agriculture implies a combination of agriculture with other forms of culture such as pisciculture (fish culture), aquaculture, apiculture (bee-keeping), sericulture (silk worm culture), poultry farming, piggery, livestock production (animal husbandry), etc.

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Advantages of Sustainable agriculture:

(a) Achieves the integration of natural biological cycles. (b) Protects and renews soil fertility and the natural resource base. (c) Optimizes the management and use of farm resources. (d) Reduces the use of non-renewable resources and purchased production inputs. (e) Provides an adequate and dependable form of income. (f) Promotes opportunity in family farming and farm communities.

6.2 Organic Farming

It is the practice of raising crops which have not been polluted with the use of manures, biofertilizers and biopesticides. Instead healthy cropping systems that provide optimum nutrients to plants and keep the pests as well as weeds under control are used. Healthy cropping includes mixed cropping, intercropping and crop rotation.

Advantages of Organic Farming:

(a) It prevents pollution of any component of our environment. (b) Farm wastes are recycled. (c) The foods obtained from organic farming are free from pesticides and toxic

chemicals. (d) Organic farming maintains the soil health. (e) The cropping system of organic farming keeps insect pests and weeds under

check.

6.3 Crop Seasons

Photoperiods are duration of sunlight that influences plants in their growth, flowering, formation of storage organs, leaf fall, etc. In India main seasons of crop growth are Kharif, Rabi and Zaid.

(A) Kharif crops: These crops grow during rainy season (June to October). The chief kharif crops are paddy (rice), maize, millet, groundnut, soybean, arhar, black gram (urad), green gram (moong) cotton and jute, Vegetables of kharif crops are spinach, gourd, garlic, lady finger, pumpkin and brinjal, Fruits of kharif crops are watermelon, muskmelon, mango, litchi, plum, peach etc.

(B) Rabi crops: These crops grow from November to April. The important rabi crops (cereals and pulses) are wheat, barley, gram, mustard, pea and linseeds. Vegetables of rabi crops are cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, radish, turnip, beans, etc. Fruits of rabi crops are apple, pomegranate, orange, etc.

(C) Zaid Crops: The crops grown in the summer season are called Zaid Crop. Their time period is generally March to June. Examples of Zaid Crop are melon, watermelon etc.

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6.4 Basic Practices of Crop Production

Cultivation of crops involves several activities undertaken by farmers over a period of time. These activities or tasks are referred to as agricultural practices. These activities are listed below.

(a) Preparation of soil (b) Sowing (c) Adding manure and fertilisers (d) Irrigation

(e) Removal of weeds (f) Harvesting (g) Storage

7. PREPERATION OF SOIL

The upper layer of earth is called soil. The crop plants are grown in soil. Soil provides minerals, water, air, humus and anchorage (fixing firmly), to the plants. Preparation of soil is the first step in cultivating a crop for food production. The soil is prepared for sowing the seeds of the crop by:

(i) ploughing, (ii) levelling, and (iii) manuring.

7.1 Ploughing or Tilling

The process of loosening and turning of the soil is called tilling or ploughing. This is done by using a plough. Ploughs are made of wood or iron. If the soil is very dry, it may need watering before ploughing. The ploughed field may have big pieces of soil called crumbs. It is necessary to break these crumbs with a plank. The field is levelled for sowing as well as for irrigation purposes. The levelling of soil is done with the help of a leveller. 7.2 Levelling

The Ploughed soil is levelled by pressing it with a wooden leveller (or an iron leveller) so that the top soil is not blown away by wind or drained off by water (and soil erosion is prevented).

7.3 Manuring

‘Manuring’ means ‘adding manure to the soil’. Sometimes, manure is added to the soil before ploughing. Addition of manure to soil before ploughing helps in the proper mixing of manure with the soil.

7.4 Agricultural Implements

The main agricultural implements (or tools) used for loosening and turning the soil are: Plough Hoe Cultivator

(a) PLOUGH Plough is a large agricultural implement which is used for ploughing (or tilling) the soil in the fields. The wooden plough consists of a long log of wood which is called plough shaft. There is a handle at one end of the plough shaft. Below the handle is a strong triangular iron strip called ploughshare. The other end of plough shaft can be

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attached to a wooden beam which is fixed at right angles to the plough shaft. This beam is placed over the neck of two bullocks (or oxen) so as to pull the plough. Thus, the plough is drawn by a pair of bullocks. Nowadays, the traditional wooden plough is increasingly being replaced by the iron plough.

(b) HOE Hoe is an agricultural implement (or tool) which is used for removing weeds, and loosening and turning the soil. Hoe consists of a long rod of wood or iron. There is a handle (having grip) at one end of the hoe. The other end of hoe has a beam which is put on the neck of bullocks. Thus, a hoe is also pulled by animals such as a pair of bullocks. A Hoe

(c) CULTIVATOR The cultivator is a tractor driven agricultural implement which is used for loosening and turning the soil in the fields quickly.

Cultivator driven by a tractor

8. SOWING

The process of scattering seeds (or putting seeds) in the ground soil for growing the crop plants is called sowing.

8.1 Methods of Sowing Seeds

Seeds are sown in the soil either by hand or by seed drill. Thus, there are two methods of sowing the seeds in the soil. These are:

(a) Sowing by hand, and (b) Sowing with a seed drill

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The sowing of seeds by hand (or manually) is called broadcasting. In the sowing with hand or manually, the seeds are taken in hand and gradually scattered in the entire ploughed field. It is obvious that the sowing with seed-drill is much better than sowing by hand.

Traditional method of sowing 8.2 Seed drill

Nowadays the seed drill is used for sowing with the help of tractors. This tool sows the seeds uniformly at proper distances and depths. It ensures that seeds get covered by the soil after sowing. This prevents damage caused by birds. Sowing by using a seed drill saves time and labour. A seed drill

9. MANURES and FERTILISERS

Repeated growing of crops in the same field removes a lot of precious mineral elements, organic matter and other materials from the soil. The deficiency of plant nutrients and organic matter in the soil is made up by adding manures and fertilisers to the soil.

Manures: Manure is a natural substance obtained by the decomposition of animal wastes like cow-dung, human wastes, and plant residues, which supplies essential elements and humus to the soil and makes it more fertile. Manures are natural fertilizers. They are bulky sources of organic matter which supply nutrients in small quantities, and organic matter in large quantities. Manures are prepared by the decomposed animal excreta and plant waste. Manures include farmyard manure (FYM), compost, green manures, vermicompost, etc.

Fertilisers: Fertilizers provide plant nutrients, commercially manufactured using chemicals. Fertilizers supply Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK). A Complete fertilizer is one which contains all the three critical elements or minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Chemically they may be inorganic compounds (e.g., ammonium sulphate) or organic compounds (e.g., urea). Fertilizers should be applied scientifically, in terms of proper dose, time, pre-and post-application precautions for their complete utilisation.

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10. CROPPING PATTERNS

These are models of raising crops which help in obtaining maximum benefit from the same piece of land; reduce risk of crop failure, disease and infestation. Three common types of cropping patterns are mixed cropping, intercropping and crop rotation.

10.1 Mixed Cropping

Farming is an agricultural process of harnessing solar energy in the form of economic produce of plants and animals. The Indian farmers depend a great deal on the monsoon rain for water. Monsoons sometimes bring very heavy rain and cause floods. Sometimes there are dry spells which lead to drought conditions. Mixed cropping is the practice of growing of two or more crops simultaneously in the same piece of land. Objective of mixed cropping: The basic objective in mixed cropping is to

minimize the risk and insure against the crop failure due to abnormal weather conditions.

Crop-combination used in mixed cropping: In India, the following combinations of the crops are used by farmers in mixed cropping :

(i) Maize + Urad bean (ii) Cotton + Moong bean (iii) Groundnut + Sunflower (iv) Sorghum + Pigeon pea (v) Wheat + Chick pea (vi) Barley + Chick pea (vii) Wheat + Mustard

10.2 Intercropping

Intercropping is a practice of growing two or more crops simultaneously in a same field in definite row patterns with the objective of increasing productivity per unit area. It means after one row of main crop, one, two, or three rows of intercrops can be grown. Advantages of Intercropping:

It makes better use of the natural resources of sunlight, land and water. Soil erosion is effectively arrested. Since the seeds of the two crops are not mixed before sowing, fertilizers can

be added as per the need of the crops. Since the seed maturity period of these crops varies, the different crops can

be harvested and threshed separately. The produce of each crop can be marketed and consumed separately.

10.3 Crop Rotation

If we grow a crop continuously in the same field for many years, it results into various problems such as (i) depletion (deficiency) of same types of nutrients and

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(ii) build up of diseases and insect-pests. This demands for the requirement of the practice of crop rotation. Crop rotation can be defined as the practice of growing of different crops on a piece of land in a preplanned succession.

11. IRRIGATION

All living beings need water to live. Water is important for proper growth and development of flowers, fruits and seeds of plants. Water is absorbed by the plant roots. Along with water, minerals and fertilisers are also absorbed. Plants contain nearly 90% water. Water is essential because germination of seeds does not take place under dry conditions. Nutrients dissolved in water get transported to each part of the plant. Water also protects the crop from both frost and hot air currents. The supply of water to crops at different intervals is called irrigation. The time and frequency of irrigation varies from crop to crop, soil to soil and season to season. The sources of irrigation are- wells, tubewells, ponds, lakes, rivers, dams and canals.

11.1 Need of irrigation

Irrigation before ploughing the field makes the soil soft. Irrigation is necessary to provide moisture for the germination of seeds. Irrigation is necessary to maintain the moisture of soil for healthy crop growth. Irrigation is necessary for the absorption of nutrient elements by the plants

from the soil. Irrigation protects the crop plants from hot air currents as well as frost.

11.2 Traditional Methods of Irrigation

The water available in wells, lakes and canals is lifted up by different methods in different regions, for taking it to the fields. Cattle or human labour is used in these methods. So these methods are cheaper, but less efficient. The various traditional ways are:

(i) Moat (pulley-system) (ii) Chain pump

(iii) Dhekli (iv) Rahat (Lever system)

Moat Chain pump Dhekli Rahat

11.3 Modern Methods of Irrigation

Modern methods of irrigation help us to use water economically. The main methods used in modern methods are Sprinkler system and Drip system.

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(a) Sprinkler System:

This system is more useful on the uneven land where sufficient water is not available. The perpendicular pipes, having rotating nozzles on top, are joined to the main pipeline at regular intervals. When water is allowed to flow through the main pipe under pressure with the help of a pump, it escapes from the rotating nozzles. It gets sprinkled on the crop as if it is raining. Sprinkler is very useful for sandy soil. Sprinkler System

(b) Drip system :

In this system, the water falls drop by drop just at the position of the roots. So it is called drip system. It is the best technique for watering fruit plants, gardens and trees.

Drip System

Drip irrigation system has the following advantages:

Drip system provides water to plants drop by drop. So, water is not wasted at all. Drip system minimises the use of water in agriculture. So, drip system of

irrigation is very useful in those regions where the availability of water is poor.

Note: Fertigation is an innovation of applying fertilisers through drip irrigation to maximise farm productivity with available water.

12. REMOVING THE WEEDS

When we grow a food crop in the field, then in addition to the crop plants, many small, unwanted plants also germinate and grow in the field naturally. The unwanted plants which grow along with a cultivated crop are called weeds. Weeds tend to compete with the crops for food (water and nutrients), space and light. Therefore, removal of weed plants from cultivated field in early stage of crop is essential to harvest high input returns in terms of high yield. Based on the morphology of plants, weeds can be classified into narrow-leaf weeds and broad-leaf

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weeds. For example, barley or mustard plants act as weeds in a wheat field and compete with crop for nutrition. Some of the common weeds found in wheat and rice fields are:

(a) Wild oat (javi) (c) Amaranthus (Chaulai) (b) Grass (Ghass) (d) Chenopodium (Bathua)

13. HARVESTING

It normally takes about three or four months for a food crop to mature. The cutting and gathering of the matured food crop is called harvesting. The process of beating out the grains from the harvested crop plants is called threshing. Though the process of threshing brings out grains from the cut and dried crop plants, but this grain is mixed with chaff and hay, and has to be cleaned by separating from chaff and hay, before it can be used. This is done by the process of winnowing. The process of separating grain from chaff and hay with the help of wind is called Winnowing. These days ‘combines’ (also called combine harvesters) are being used in large farms for harvesting related operation. A combine is a huge machine which cuts the standing cereal crop (like wheat) in the fields, threshes it and separates the chaff from grain in one operation. Sickle

14. STORAGE OF FOOD GRAINS

The fresh food grains obtained by the harvesting of crops contain more moisture than required for their safe storage. So, the food grains obtained by harvesting the crops are dried in the sunshine before storing, to reduce their moisture. This is because the higher moisture content in food grains promotes the growth of fungus and moulds on the stored grains which damages them. The Government Agencies like Food Corporation of India (FCI) buy grains from farmers on large scale and store it in big godowns so that it can be supplied through the country, round the year. Food grains are stored at following three levels:

At producer (farmer) level (called rural storage). At trader's level (this is done by keeping food grains in gunny bags). At FCI (Food Corporation of India) level (This is done by storing grains in

silos, the grain silos are specially designed big and tall cylindrical structures).

15. THINGS WE GET FROM PLANTS

Food: About 7000 plant species have been used as food for humans and our domestic animals. Many of these are wild plants, which provide important alternative sources of food for poor people or when crops fail. Leaves, roots, stems, seeds, fruits and flowers can all provide sources of nutrients. Foods obtained from plants include berries, nuts, tubers, grains, herbs and edible oils.

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Fuel: Plants are important sources of renewable bio-fuels (for example, bioethanol and biodiesel) that can be used for cooking, boiling water, transport, heating homes and workplaces. Wood used as fuel supplies over half the energy used in developing countries. However, much of this is gathered from the wild in an unsustainable fashion, which is putting some shrub and tree species at risk of extinction. Fibres: Plants use elongated woody cells in stems, leaves, bark and seeds for support and transport. These form fibres which can be used to make ropes, textiles and paper: fibre cells in the leaves of sisal plant are used to make string and rope; cotton (Gossypium species) made from hairs that grow on the surface of the seeds

is the most important textile; a wide variety of fibre sources, but mainly wood pulp, are used to make paper.

Medicines: In developed countries, about 25% of all prescriptions contain materials isolated from plants. Others, like aspirin, are synthesised copies of naturally occurring chemicals or modified from the original plant product. Only about a fifth of the known plant species have been investigated for their medicinal potential. Recently, the Madagascan rose periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) has been used as the source of two drugs to treat cancer and alkaloids used to treat childhood leukaemia and Hodgkin's disease. Dyes: A wide range of colours can be obtained from renewable plant sources, including red from madder (Rubia tinctoria), yellow from dyers’ chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) and blue from indigo (Indigofera tinctoria). Many synthetic dyes are based on petroleum compounds – a finite source. Perfumes: Plants have been used as a source of essential oils and aroma compounds throughout history; they provide the largest source of fragrant compounds used in perfume manufacture. Many of these compounds can also be used as insect repellents, antiseptics or disinfectants. Gums and resins: Gums form when the cellulose in plant cell walls breaks down. Originally used as adhesives, today they have many other uses. For example, gum Arabic harvested from Acacia trees is used as an adhesive on postage stamps, and to thicken medicines and inks. Certain plants secrete resins from specialised cells. Aromatic and flammable, they have long been used in medicines, embalming, incense and torches. Resins are also used in paints. Building materials: There are many other building materials obtained from plants, such as timbers, insulation, pitches for waterproofing, pipes and thatching materials. Rattans (climbing palms) are used for all kinds of purposes, from building shelters to making cane furniture, baskets, mats and fish traps.

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Compost: All plants and animals decay when they die, recycling nutrients. Rotted plant materials can be used to form compost which can be used as a soil conditioner and to return nutrients to the soil after cropping. Pesticides: Extracts from plants or their derivatives can be used successfully to control a wide range of pests, including insects, weeds, fungi and rodents.

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CLASS-5th (Science) Topic: Plants Around US - II

WORKSHEET-1

1. Name one plant which can be reproduced through- (a) Stem (b) Underground stem (c) Modified roots (d) Leaves

2. Name the vegetative propagation method which is used for growing rose plants. 3. Name the vegetative parts of a plant. 4. How are potato plants reproduced asexually ? 5. State two advantages of vegetative propagation in plants. 6. What is meant by vegetative propagation? Name any two plants which are reproduced by vegetative propagation. 7. Describe the cutting method for the propagation of rose plants. 8. Name one plant whose seeds/fruits have a fibrous coat which makes them float in water. 9. Name one plant whose seeds/fruits have hooks which get attached to the body of hairy animals. 10. Name two plant having winged seeds or fruits which are dispersed by wind. 11. Name two plants having hairy seeds or fruits which are dispersed by wind. 12. Name one type of plant having very small and light seeds which can be dispersed by wind. 13. Fill in the blanks:

(a) Seed dispersal takes place by means of _________, _________ and _______. (b) Xanthium fruits are dispersed by ________ whereas coconut fruits are

dispersed by _________. 14. Name three agents which help in dispersal of seeds and fruits. 15. What are the special features of seeds or fruits which are dispersed by wind? Name any four plants whose seeds or fruits are dispersed by wind. 16. What are the special features of the seeds or fruits which are dispersed by water? Name any two seeds which are dispersed by water. 17. How is coconut fruit dispersed in nature? 18. What are the special features of fruits/seed which are dispersed by animals? Name any two plants whose seeds are dispersed by animal. 19. What is meant by dispersal of seeds? How do plants benefit from seed dispersal? Describe the various ways by which seeds and fruits are dispersed. 20. What does a seed contain? Name two plants whose seeds are dispersed when their fruits burst with sudden jerks. 21. What would happen if all the seeds of a plant were to fall at the same place below the plant and grow there?

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CLASS-5th (Science) Topic: Plants Around US - II

WORKSHEET-2

1. Explain various types of crops ? 2. What are the various agricultural practices ? 3. Why is the soil loosened before seeds are sown ? 4. Why manures and fertilisers are added in field ? What are main chemicals used in fertilizers ? 5. Farmer in Northern India grows legumes as fodder in one season and wheat in next season. What is this practice known as? How it helps in replenishment of soil? 6. What is meant by sowing ? What are the various methods of sowing the seeds ? Why seed drill is better method ? 7. Why levelling is necessary in the fields ? Which agricultural implement is used? 8. “Organic farming is done without using chemicals”. What all chemicals are avoided during this farming? 9. What are the traditional and modern methods of sowing seeds ? 10. Why organic farming better option for Agriculture? 11. What is the term used for watering crops? Explain different methods for watering the crops ? 12. Define the terms : (i) Harvesting (ii) Threshing (iii) Winnowing 13. What is combine ? State its functions ? 14. What are weeds ? Why they needed to be removed from field? Which term is used for their removal . 15. How do the grains stored and prevented ? 16. What is sustainable Agriculture? 17. Name the various traditional methods used for irrigation. 18. Explain various methods of harvesting in our country ? 19. State any three uses of plant fibres. 20. Name the plants from which gums are harvested. Mention the uses of gums. 21. Mention any two renewable biofuels and state its uses. 22. Explain how plants are useful in construction of a building?

23. Mention 10 different categories of things which we get from plants. 24. Mention the names of the labeled terms in the following figures of seeds.

Figure- 1 Figure-2

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CLASS-5th (Science) Topic: Plants Around US - II

WORKSHEET-3

1. Boojho had the following parts of a rose plant – a leaf, roots, a branch, a flower, a bud and pollen grains. Which of them can be used to grow a new rose plant? 2. Group the seeds given in figure according to their means of dispersion.

(a) Seed dispersed by wind (b) Seed dispersed by water (c) Seed dispersed by animal

3. Coconut is a large and heavy fruit. How is it adapted for dispersal by water? 4. Write how the following seeds are dispersed.

(a) Seeds with wings. (b) Small and light seeds. (c) Seeds with spines/hooks.

5. Pick the odd one out from the following on the basis of mode of reproduction and give reason for it.

Sugarcane, Potato, Rice, Rose 6. Pick out the odd one from the following words and give reason for it.

Plough, Seed Drill, Hoe, Chain Pump, Sickle 7. If you are given a dry piece of land for cultivation what will you do before sowing the seeds? 8. State whether the following statements are True or False. (a) Using good quality seed is the only criterion to get high yield. (b) Growing different crops in different seasons in the same field will deplete the

soil of nutrients. (c) All crop plants are sown as seeds in the field. (d) Cells of root nodules of leguminous plants fix nitrogen. (e) Freshly harvested grains must be dried before storing.

9. Match the agricultural implements given in Column A with their use given in Column B.

Column A Column B (i) Sickle (a) Ploughing (ii) Hoe (b) Sowing (iii) Seed Drill (c) Harvesting (iv) Sprinkler (d) Irrigation

10. Rearrange the given terms related to agricultural practice in the correct order. harvesting, sowing, manuring, tilling and ploughing, irrigation, de–weeding.

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OLYMPIAD CORNER Plants Around Us – II

1. Which of the following shows the correct match of seed and its mode of dispersal?

(a) (b) (c) (d) 2. Select the plant pair that shows similar mode of vegetative reproduction.

(a) Radish, Potato (b) Coconut, Mango (c) Rose, Dahlia (d) Carrot, Turnip

3. In India, crops that are grown in winter are called rabi crops. Which of the following are rabi crops?

(i) Radish (ii) Mustard (iii) Rice (iv) Millet (v) Cabbage (vi) Watermelon (vii) Peach (viii) Cauliflower

(a) (i), (ii) and (vii) only (b) (iii), (iv) (v) and (vi) only (c) (iv), (vi) and (viii) only (d) (i), (ii), (v) and (viii) only

4. The main purpose of the implement shown in figure is: (a) Digging the soil (b) Digging out the plants from the soil (c) Sprinkling water on the field (d) Sowing the seeds

5. If part X will be absent in a plant, new plants will not be produced. X is _____.

(a) Stem (b) Root (c) Flower (d) Leaves 6. ______ is the plant that disperses its seed by the same agency as the plant shown here.

(a) Dandelion (b) Coconut (c) Mango (d) Tiger’s claw

7. _____ is the tool used for sowing seeds in agriculture.

(a) Hoe (b) Plough (c) Seed drill (d) Shovel

8. The seed shown here is most likely to be dispersed by ______.

(a) Water (b) Wind (c) Animals (d) cannot say

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9. Read the following experiment and answer the following question. Riya cut a piece from a potato with an ‘eye’ or bud, with shoots growing from it. She put it in a pot containing soil, kept this in the sunlight and watered it regularly. She soon saw a potato plant growing from it. What can be concluded from this experiment?

(a) Potato is an underground stem. (b) In many plants, reproduction takes place through vegetative parts like root,

stem and leaves. (c) Plants need sunlight and water to grow. (d) In many plants, reproduction takes place through seeds.

10. Refer to the given figure and select the incorrect option regarding it. (a) In some plants, W plays no important role in reproduction, e.g.,

sugarcane. (b) In some plants, X is used for reproduction, e.g., rose. (c) In some plants, Y is edible, e.g., cucumber. (d) In some plants, Z is edible, e.g., cabbage.

11. Refer to the given figure and select the correct option about the parts X and Y of seed.

(a) Part X gives rise to the new plant (b) Part Y gives nutrition to the young plant. (c) Part Y gives rise to the new plant (d) Both (a) and (b)

12. Study the set-ups shown below. Each test tube contains few bean seeds on the cotton wool. Farheen wants to carry out an experiment to show that warmth of the light is needed for germination to take place. Which of the two set-ups should she use?

(a) P and W (b) R and W (c) Q and W (d) W and X

13. The given figure shows some of the stages in the agricultural practice. Arrange them in the correct sequence of order and select the correct option.

(a) d → c → e → a → b (b) c → e → b → d → a (c) a → b → e → d → c (d) d → b → e → a → c

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14. Three different species of plants were selected by scientists who wanted to document their methods of seed dispersal. The graphs below show the approximate number of seedlings found at various radii around the parent plant.

What are the correct methods of seed dispersal of each plant? Species 1 Species 2 Species 3

(a) Water Explosion Animal (b) Wind Animal Water (c) Wind Animal Explosion (d) Explosion Water Animal

15. The given diagram shows the life cycle of a plant. Which of the following statements are true regarding it? (i) Sunlight is not needed at stage Q. (ii) Photosynthesis takes place only at stages R and S. (iii) Stage P is not affected by what happens at

stage T. (iv) The seed at stage P needs air, water and

warmth to reach stage Q. (a) (i) and (iv) only (b) (ii) and (iii) only (c) (i), (ii) and (iii) only (d) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)

16. Which of the following is an incorrect match?

Fruit Agent of dispersal Part of seed which helps in dispersal (a) Drum stick Wind Wings of seed (b) Madar Water Hairy seeds (c) Coconut Water Spongy outer coat (d) Xanthium Animals Hooks in fruits

17. Seeds of drumstick and maple are carried to long distances by wind because they possess

(a) winged seeds (b) large and hairy seeds (c) long and ridged fruits (d) spiny seeds

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18. The diagram shows part P and Q. A kidney bean was soaked until it was soft. The seed coat was removed and the seed was split open as shown in diagram. Both halves, P and Q, were placed on damp cotton wool and left aside for a few days. The halves were then observed. Which of the following is the possible observation? (a) A seedling emerged from P but not from Q. (b) Nothing happened to both P and Q. (c) Q shrivelled up and turned brown while P remained the same. (d) A large seedling grew first from P than from Q. 19. Riya likes to eat ‘chilli padi’, which is a variety of chilli that looks like normal chillies, except that it is much smaller and spicier. What should she do if she wants to grow her own ‘chilli padi’?

(a) Sow seeds from a normal chilli plant and harvest the chillies when they are still very small in size.

(b) Sow seeds from a chilli padi plant because the chillies from the new plant would have the same size and taste as the parent plant.

(c) There is no way to guarantee that she can grow ‘chilli padi’ because the plant produces different types of chillies at random.

(d) Sow seeds from a normal chilli plant but use less fertilizer so that the chillies will remain small in size.

20. Read the following statements made by four children. Harshit: A seeds can only germinate when there is water, warmth and air. Aditya: All flowering plants reproduce by seeds only. Vaibhav: The embryo depends on its seed leaves to obtain nutrition. Vatsal: The seed leaves will continue to grow bigger as the plant grows from a young plant to an adult plant. Which of these children have made incorrect statements?

(a) Harshit and Vaibhav (b) Vaibhav and Vatsal (c) Aditya and Vatsal (d) Harshit and Vatsal

21. Germination takes place when the (a) Previously dormant embryo is activated (b) Cotyledons emerge above ground (c) Hypocotyl or epicotyl emerges above ground (d) Vascular tissue begins the transport of water and minerals. 22. Factor responsible for increased crop production in India is

(a) Use of improved seeds developed by plant breeding and scientific methods (b) Protection of plants against pests and better storage. (c) Control of plant diseases (d) All of these

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23. Match different terms in column I with their related description in column II and select the correct option from the codes given below.

Column - I Column – II (p) Weeding (i) Loosening and turning of soil (q) Threshing (ii) Removing unwanted plants from a field (r) Tilling (iii) Cutting and gathering of mature crop (s) Harvesting (iv) Separation of grain from the chaff

(a) (p) – (i), (q) – (iii), (r) – (ii), (s) – (iv) (b) (p) – (ii), (q) – (i), (r) – (iv), (s) – (iii) (c) (p) – (ii), (q) – (iv), (r) – (i), (s) – (iii) (d) (p) – (iv), (q) – (iii), (r) – (i), (s) – (ii)

24. Cultivation of crops involves several activities undertaken by farmers over a period of time. These activities are referred to as agricultural practices. Given below are few agricultural practices. Select the correct sequence of activities that are followed to grow a crop.

(a) Sowing, adding manure, protection from weeds, soil preparation, harvesting, storage. (b) Soil preparation, sowing, adding manure, irrigation, protection from weeds,

harvesting, storage. (c) Soil preparation, irrigation, adding manure, sowing, storage, harvesting. (d) Irrigation, sowing, adding manure, protection from weeds, harvesting, storage.

25. Preparation of soil helps the soil to turn and loosen. This turning and loosening of soil is necessary as

(a) The loose soil helps roots to breathe easily (b) The loose soil helps in the growth of earthworms and friendly microbes

present in the soil (c) Nutrients present in soil crumbs become easily available (d) All of these

26. Read the given statements and select the correct option. Statement 1: Fertilizers are chemical substances. Statement 2: Manures are natural organic substances.

(a) Both statements 1 and 2 are true and statement 2 is the correct explanation of statement 1.

(b) Both statements 1 and 2 are true but statement 2 is not the correct explanation of statement 1.

(c) Statement 1 is true but statement 2 is false. (d) Both statements 1 and 2 are false.

27. The given figure represents an agricultural tool which is used for removing weeds and for loosening the soil. It has a long rod of wood or iron. A strong broad and bent plate of iron is fixed to one of its ends and works like a blade. It is pulled by animals. Identify it. (a) Combine (b) Hoe (c) Cultivator (d) Seed drill

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28. Which one of the following is a correct match? (a) Rabi-sowing (June-July), harvesting (September-October) (b) Kharif-sowing (June-July), harvesting (September-October) (c) Rabi-sowing (October-December), harvesting (June- July) (d) Both (b) and (c) 29. Crop rotation is performed to (a) Improve the fertility of soil (b) Save nitrogenous fertilizers (c) Help in weed control and pest control (d) All of these 30. The ‘eye’ of the potato plant is what:

(a) the root is to any plant. (b) the bud is to a flower. (c) the bud is to Bryophyllum leaf. (d) the anther is to stamen.

31. Propagation of ginger is generally done using (a) seed (c) root (b) stem (rhizome) (d) leaf

32. Which of the following statement is not true for organic manure? (a) It enhances water holding capacity of soil. (b) It has a balance of all plant nutrients. (c) It provides humus to soil. (d) It improves texture of soil.

33. The term used for the process of separation of grains from chaff is: (a) sieving (c) winnowing (b) threshing (d) hand picking

34. Read the statements given below. (i) Seeds require moisture for germination. (ii) Plants can absorb nutrients mostly in dissolved form. (iii) Irrigation protects crops from both frost and hot air currents. (iv) Irrigation improves soil texture.

Choose the combination of statements which indicate the need to irrigate crops. (a) i and ii (b) i, ii, iii (c) i, ii, iii, iv (d) i and iii

35. Which of the following tools would a farmer use to remove weeds from the field?

(a) Hoe (b) Axe (c) Plough (d) Cultivator

36. The process of loosening and turning of soil is called (a) irrigation and manuring (c) tilling and ploughing (b) digging and winnowing (d) harvesting and storage

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37. Given below are statements about the harmful effects of weeds on crop plants. (i) They interfere in harvesting. (ii) They help crop plants to grow healthy. (iii) They compete with crop plants for water, nutrients, space and light. (iv) They affect plant growth.

Choose the correct combination of statements. (a) i, iii, iv (c) iii, iv (b) iii only (d) i, ii, iii, iv

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