Revision: Improvement in Food Resources Science English Medium Class 9 CBSE

Vermicompost
Vermicompost is a kind of manure, rich in organic matter and nutrients, which is derived from organic wastes of plant and animal origin by the activity of earthworms. The latter promotes soil aeration, crush and mix soil particles and convert the nutrients into simpler forms.
The earthworms are popularly known as farmer’s friend or Nature’s ploughman. The most common species of earthworm used for decomposition are Dichogaster bolani.

Green manure
Green manure is a kind of manure that is prepared in the field itself to enrich the soil in nitrogen and phosphorous. Green leguminous and non-leguminous plants are mulched by ploughing and then left in the field to decompose by the activity of natural decomposers such as bacteria and fungi. The most commonly used green manure in India is sun hemp, sweet clover, cow-pea, berseem, cluster bean etc.

‘Biofertilizer’ contains living micro-organisms which, when applied to seed, plant surfaces, or soil, colonizes the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant and promotes growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host plant. Thus, biofertilizers are organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.

Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P), and Potassium (K) are the three important nutrients among the various nutrients needed for plant growth. These three are called Principal Nutrients.

Pisciculture (fishery) is the practice of breeding, rearing and harvesting fish in natural or artificial water bodies for food and other economic uses.

Pisciculture or Fish culture is the process of breeding and rearing fishes in ponds, reservoirs (dams), lakes, rivers, and paddy fields.

The rearing of honey bee to obtain honey and other commercially important products is known as apiculture or bee‑keeping.

Breeding between a superior male of one breed with a superior female of another breed is known as cross-breeding.

Apiculture is the rearing of honey bees for honey. It is called Beekeeping.

• Meaning — Poultry includes domesticated birds (chicken, duck, turkey, fowl) raised for eggs and meat. Allied professions include feed, marketing, pharmaceuticals & equipment.
• Breeds by Origin — American: Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire, Rhode Island Red, Asiatic: Brahma, Cochin, Langshan, Mediterranean: Leghorn, Minorca, English: Australorp, Indian: Chittagong, Aseel, Kadaknath.
• Layers vs Broilers — Leghorn = best layer (eggs). Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Aseel, Brahma, Kadaknath = preferred broilers (meat).
• Farm Management — Requires disease-free breed, proper feed & water, hygiene, vaccination, ventilation, lighting, sanitation & culling.
• Poultry Diseases — Viral: Ranikhet, Bird flu, Bacterial: Pullorum, Cholera, TB, CRD, Fungal: Aspergillosis, Favus, Parasitic: Lice, Roundworm, Protozoan: Coccidiosis.

• Meaning — Branch of applied biology dealing with catching, processing, farming & marketing of fish, prawns, lobsters, oysters, mussels, crabs.
• Three Divisions — Inland (fresh water), Marine (sea water, 7500 km coastline), Estuarine (river meets sea, e.g., Sundarbans).
• Common Fish — Inland: Rohu, Catla, Mrigala | Marine: Bombay duck, Sardine, Mackerel, Pomfret.
• Fish Culture — Monoculture (1 species) or Polyculture (many species). Preservation: chilling, freezing, salting, canning, drying.
• By-products — Fish oil, fish meal, fertilisers, fish glue, isinglass → used in paints, soaps, medicines. Provides jobs & self-employment.

• Meaning — Artificial rearing of honey bees to obtain honey, wax, pollen, bee venom, propolis & royal jelly. Ancient cottage industry.
• 4 Species in India — Apis dorsata (rock bee), Apis florea (little bee), Apis mellifera (European), Apis indica (Indian). Mellifera & Indica = domesticated species.
• Requirements — Areas with shrubs, orchards & crops. Equipment: hive boxes, smoker, bee veil, gloves, uncapping knife, queen excluder.
• Management — Periodic inspection of cleanliness, queen activity, brood condition & water supply is necessary.
• Importance — Honey = nutritious + medicinal. Bees pollinate sunflowers, mustard, apples, mangoes, and citrus → increases crop productivity.