Biology

Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production

Question:

What are three options to increase food production? Discuss each giving the salient features, merits and demerits.

Answer:

With ever increasing population of the world, enhancement of food production is a major necessity. Biological principles as applied to animal husbandry (See Ans 1 of short answer type questions) and plant breeding (See Ans 1) have a major role in our efforts to increase food production. Several new techniques like embryo transfer technology and tissue culture tecbniques(See Ans 7) are going to play a pivotal role in further enhancing food production.

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Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production

Q 1.

In animal husbandry, if two closely related animals are mated for a few generations, it results in loss of fertility and vigour. Why is this so?

Q 2.

Define the term stress' for plants. Discuss briefly the two types of stress encountered by plants.

Q 3.

Discuss the two main limitations of plant hybridization programme.

Q 4.

Discuss natural selection and artificial selection. What are the implications of the latter on the process of evolution?

Q 5.

Life style diseases are increasing alarmingly in India. We are also dealing with large scale malnutrition in the population. Is there any method by which we can address both of these problems together?

Q 6.

Name a man-made cereal. Trace how it was developed and where it is used?

Q 7.

Give few examples of biofortified crops. What benefits do they offer to the society?

Q 8.

Explain what is meant by biofortification.

Q 9.

Would it be wrong to call plants obtained through micropropagation as clones'? Comment.

Q 10.

Can gamma rays used for crop improvement programmes prove to be harmful for health? Discuss.

Q 11.

Briefly describe various steps involved in plant breeding.

Q 12.

It is said, that diseases are spreading faster due to globalisation and increased movement of people. Justify the statement taking the example of H5N1 virus.

Q 13.

Name the improved characteristics of wheat that helped India to achieve green revolution.

Q 14.

Plants raised through tissue cultures are clones of the parent' plant. Discuss the utility of these plants.

Q 15.

(a) The shift from grain to meat diets creates more demands for cereals. Why? (b) A250 kg cow produces 200 g of protein per day but 250 g of Methylophillus methylotrophus can produce 25 tonnes of protein. Name this emerging area of research. Explain its benefits.

Q 16.

Suggest some of the features of plants that will prevent insect and pest infestation.

Q 17.

Why is it easier to culture meristems Compared to permanent tissues?

Q 18.

You are planning to set up a Dairy Farm. Describe the various aspects you would consider before you start the venture.

Q 19.

What is meant by germplasm collection? What are its benefits?

Q 20.

It is easier to culture plant cells in vitro as compared to animal cells. Why?

Q 21.

Differentiate between pisciculture and aquaculture.

Q 22.

A few statements are given below followed by a set of terms in a box. Pick the correct term and write it against the appropriate statement.
a. Mating of closely related individuals within the same breed
b. Mating of animals of same breed but having no common ancestors on either side for 4-6 generations
c. Mating of animals of two different species
d. Breeding of animals belonging to different breeds
(i) Cross breeding, (ii) Inter-specific hybridization,
(iii) Out breeding, (iv) Out crossing, (v) Inbreeding

Q 23.

Modem methods of breeding animals and plants can alleviate the global food shortage'. Comment on the statement and give suitable examples.

Q 24.

Which part of the plant is best suited for making virus-free plants and why?

Q 25.

Does apiculture offer multiple advantages to farmers? List its advantages if it is located near a place of commercial flower Cultivation.

Q 26.

If your family owned a dairy farm, what measures  would you undertake to improve the quality and quantity of milk production?

Q 27.

Discuss how the property of plant cell totipotency has been utilised for plant propagation and improvement

Q 28.

Explain in brief the role of animal husbandry in human welfare.

Q 29.

Why are plants obtained by protoplast culture called somatic hybrids?

Q 30.

What is aquaculture? Give example of an animal that can be multiplied by aquaculture.

Q 31.

Interspecific crosses are rare in nature and intergeneric crosses almost unknown. Why?

Q 32.

(a) Mutations are beneficial for plant breeding. Taking an example, justify the statement.
(b) Discuss briefly the technology that made us self-sufficient in food production.

Q 33.

How is a somatic hybrid different from a hybrid?

Q 34.

What is meant by the term 'breed'? What are the objectives of animal breeding?

Q 35.

What is apiculture? How is it important in our lives?

Q 36.

Discuss the role of fishery in enhancement of food production.

Q 37.

Name any five hybrid varieties of crop plants which have been developed in India.

Q 38.

What is meant by hidden hunger'?

Q 39.

A farmer was facing the problem of low yield from his farm. He was advised to keep a beehive in the vicinity. Why? How would the beehive help in enhancing yield?

Q 40.

Discuss briefly how pure lines are created in animal husbandry.

Q 41.

What are the physical barriers of a cell in-the protoplast fusion experiment? How are the barriers overcome?

Q 42.

What are the advantages of tissue culture methods over conventional method of plant breeding in crop improvement programmes?

Q 43.

What are three options to increase food production? Discuss each giving the salient features, merits and demerits.

Q 44.

What is the major advantage of producing plants by micro propagation?

Q 45.

In the area of plant breeding, it is important not only to preserve the seeds of the variety being cultivated, but also to preserve all its wild relatives. Explain with a suitable example.

Q 46.

In the area of plant breeding, it is important not only to preserve the seeds of the variety being cultivated, but also to preserve all its wild relatives. Explain with a suitable example.

Q 47.

Give two important contributions of Dr. M. S. Swaminathan.

Q 48.

Explain the concept of the Blue Revolution.

Q 49.

Is there any relationship between dedifferentiation and the higher degree of success achieved in plant tissue culture experiments?

Q 50.

Give me a living cell of any plant and I will give you a thousand plants of the same type". Is this only a slogan or is it scientifically possible? Write your comments and justify them.