Question

Given below is a conversation between two farmers - Heera and Beera.

Heera: Brother Beera, your maize crops look beautiful! They have grown pretty fast.

Beera: Yes, I have sprayed urea this time. What about you?

Heera: Well, I am still relying on good old cow dung. I am saving money on buying a tractor.

Beera: That's good. Tractor saves a lot of time and labor.

Heera: Yes, it's been very labor-intensive for me and now these weeds have come up.

Beera: Try weedicides. They are effective.

Now answer the following questions.

1. List the practices which are not environment-friendly and why?
2. What is the advantage of modern agriculture implements over traditional ones?
3. Name one weedicide and the precaution farmers must take during its aplication.

Answer 1

a. Non-environmental friendly agricultural practices are:

1. Fertilizers added to the soil alter the chemistry of the soil.
2. They mix with the underground water, and they reach nearby water bodies.
3. This leads to eutrophication.
4. Pesticides sprayed also enter water bodies and kill their biota.

b.The advantages of modern agriculture over the traditional ones are:

1. It offers higher crop yields.
2. It reduces labor intensity, and a large area of fields can be easily maintained.
3. Genetic changes such as resistance against weeds or pests can be easily achieved.

c. Weedicide:

1. Weedicides are used to kill unwanted plants.
2. They specifically kill unwanted plants while leaving the main crop unharmed.
3. Naphathelene acetic acid is an example of weedicide.

Precautions that farmers should take during weedicide application are:

1. The farmer should completely cover his face.
2. He should wear fully covered clothes.
3. Weedicide spraying should be done with no wind or prolonged wind.