eChapters

Mulching is a practice of covering the surface of soil with plastics, organic and non-organic materials like straw, grasses, sands, stones (boulders), synthetic plastics, etc. to reduce evaporation and to moderate wide fluctuations in diurnal soil temperature, especially in the root zone environment. It controls external evaporability and reduces energy supply to the evaporating site by cutting off solar radiation falling on the ground. Its main function is limited to control first stage of drying, which helps in improving moisture status and reducing soil temperature (Loy and Wells, 1975), besides checking seedling mortality and improving crop stand. It also suppresses weed-flora and reduces weed competition with crop for water and nutrients making them available in greater quantities for crop plants. Moreover, mulching helps in increasing downward movement of water, and its storage deep in the profiles escapes evaporation due to reduction in thermal gradients and exchange of vapours. The effectiveness of mulches in conserving moisture has generally been found to be higher under more frequency of rainfall, drought conditions and also during early period of plant growth when canopy cover remains scanty.

Most of us consider weeds to be the troublesome, competitive, aggressive, undesirable, unsightly elements of the plant world. We hate weeds since desirable plants cultivated by us are deprived of food, water, sunlight and space by these plants. They can easily colonize an area and thrive even under non-ideal conditions of growth and may affect human welfare adversely. It is perhaps due to this that the saying, when weeds win all the people lose, has come into existence.

The terminology committee of the Weed Society of America gives the simple definition of weed as a plant growing where it is not desired. King (1974) in his book Weeds of the World observed that ‘‘a plant classed as a weed in one region where it has few, if any, uses may when growing in another region, possess some very valuable uses, or in few cases may actually be cultivated’’. For instance, Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is a highly troublesome weed in crop fields, but in village pastures, it is a much sought for forage grass. Quack grass (Agropyron repens) is a very good soil binding grass on erodable non-crop lands but it is a serious weed when it infests crop fields and orchards. Campbell (1923) considered weeds as ‘honest, independent competitors for food materials in the struggle for existence’. He pointed out that the term, weed has developed in the minds of people not according to specific qualities or by a definite concept in the mind of man, but by human caprice, e.g., corn is a cultivated crop, hence, desirable plant in a corn field. However, if a corn plant grows in a Soya bean field, it is considered a weed by the Soyabean farmer. Sometimes, two persons may differ about the weedy nature of a plant at the same place and time, e.g., water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a weed for fisherman but it is a plant of aesthetic value for a city dweller.

Thus, a corollary to the above definitions of weed is that weeds are those plants, which grow out of their place, interfere with the utilization of natural resources, prolific, persistent, resistant, competitive, harmful and even poisonous in nature and can grow under adverse conditions.

I. FILL UPS

1. A _____ is an unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers along the axis.
2. A _____ is a type of raceme with flowers that do not have a pedicel.
3. An _____ is a type of raceme with a short axis and multiple floral pedicels of equal length that appear to arise from a common point.
4. Indeterminate simple inflorescences are generally called _____.
5. Determinate simple inflorescences are generally called _____.
6. A compound raceme is often called a _____.
7. _____ are umbels in which the single flowers are replaced by many smaller umbels called umbellets.
8. _____ is the pollen producing part of a flower, usually with a slender filament supporting the anther.
9. _____ is the part of the stamen where pollen is produced.
10. _____ is the ovule producing part of a flower.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the period during which a flower is fully open and functional, in terms of pollen maturation and dispersal.
2. Flowers with _____ anthesis generally have brightly coloured flowers to attract insects, such as butterflies.
3. Flowers with _____ anthesis generally have white or less colourful flowers.
4. _____ is the mechanism, in which the stamens and pistil of a flower mature at different times.
5. The best example for protandry is _____.
6. _____ is the mechanism in which the stigma become receptive before pollen release.
7. _____ is the process by which plant pollen is transferred from the male reproductive organs to the female reproductive organs to form seeds.
8. In Bengal gram, the method of pollination is _____.
9. Red gram is _____ pollinated crop.

I. FILL UPS

1. Mango fruit is a _____.
2. _____ is a fleshy fruit with a single seed enclosed by a hard, stony endocarp or pit.
3. Apple fruit is a _____.
4. _____ fruit is a drupe.
5. Grape fruit is a _____.
6. Cucumber fruit is a _____.
7. Citrus fruit is a _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. A seed is defined as a _____ or a reproductive unit formed from fertilized ovule, consisting of an embryo, reserve food and a protective cover.
2. A seed is defined as a mature ovule or a reproductive unit formed from _____ consisting of an embryo, reserve food and a protective cover.
3. A seed is defined as a mature ovule, or a reproductive unit formed from fertilized ovule, consisting of an _____, reserve food and a protective cover.
4. A seed is defined as a mature ovule or a reproductive unit formed from fertilized ovule, consisting of an embryo, _____ and a protective cover.
5. Seed acts as a carrier of _____.
6. Seed must ensure high _____ (true to type).
7. Seed must be viable and have good _____ capacity

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the method of propagating plants with the use of organs other than the seed and spore.
2. The word asexual, which means _____.
3. In asexual, the _____ of the male and female sexual gametes (fertilization) is not a requisite to the production of new plants.
4. In vegetative propagation, the union of the male and _____ sexual gametes (fertilization) is not a requisite.
5. _____ without fertilization is known as vegetative propagation.
6. In vegetative propagation, _____ cell division takes place.

I. FILL UPS

1. Development of seed without fertilization is called _____.
2. _____ is the substitution for any sexual nuclear fusion.
3. Apomitic seed will have genetic material only from the _____ plant.
4. In _____ apomixis type, the megaspore cell undergoes the usual meiotic division and forms a haploid embryo sac.
5. The process of seed formation without sexual fusion is known as _____.
6. _____ is defined as the development of embryo from some other cell of embryo sac other than egg.
7. Haploid embryo arises from the egg without fertilization is called_____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Somatic embryo encased with artificial endosperm and protective cover is called _____.
2. The term artificial seed was coined by_____.
3. The artificial seed technology was patented by_____.
4. The most common gelling agent used for artificial seeds is_____.
5. In desiccated system, the artificial seeds are coated with _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is a technology that eliminates or reduces the germination capacity of the following seed germination.
2. _____ technology offers a means of preventing the unwanted flow of genes from genetically modified organisms.
3. Terminator technology is technically known as _____.
4. _____ technology is used to protect the transgenes from being pirated by researches elsewhere.
5. _____ is a inducer used to initiate the terminator gene interaction.

I. FILL UPS

1. The developing ovule is commonly attached to the placenta by the _____.
2. The scar on the ovule made where the funiculus detaches at maturity is known as the _____.
3. The point where the integuments meet at the nuclear apex is _____.
4. Opposite to the micropyle, the region of integumentary origin and attachment is called _____.
5. Between the chalaza and the hilum is an area called _____.
6. _____ is an example for species with developed perisperm.

I. FILL UPS

1. Ovule moisture content at the time of fertilization is approximately _____.
2. After sexual fusion, the developing seeds begin to _____ in weight as a result of nutrient accumulation.
3. _____ is the precursor substrate for starch formation in a seed.
4. In cereals, the walls of the dead cells of the mature starchy endosperm are composed of _____ and _____.
5. In coffee and ivory nut seeds _____ is deposited in the cell wall.
6. In cereal seeds, proteins are accumulated in the _____ layer.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the stage of accumulation of maximum dry matter within the seeds.
2. The stage of attainment of physiological maturity by 80% of population is considered as _____ stage.
3. In rice, during harvestable maturity the moisture content of long duration varieties will be _____.
4. For short and medium duration varieties of rice, the moisture content will be _____.
5. Rattling sound of kernel is the physiological maturity symptom of _____.
6. The harvestable maturity indices of cotton is _____.
7. The harvestable maturity indices of bhendi is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. The major storage organ for cereals is _____ .
2. The major storage organ for legumes is _____.
3. The major storage organ in pine is _____.
4. The average protein percent present in soybean is _____.
5. The average oil percent present in oilpalm is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ refers to lack of growth due to any external or internal cause.
2. _____ refers to a state in which viable seeds fail to germinate even when given favourable environmental conditions.
3. _____ is a condition in which seed can germinate upon absorption of water.
4. _____ is otherwise known as primary dormancy.
5. A condition that develops to prevent germination after the seed has been detached from the plant is called _____.
6. Dormancy related to the embryo is called _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. The process whereby seeds sprout and begin to grow is known as _____.
2. During germination of a seed, the water is absorbed through _____.
3. _____ is the onset growth of a seed often following a period of dormancy.
4. _____ is a type of germination in which cotyledons and shoot are carried above the soil level.
5. _____ is a type of germination in which the cotyledon or comparable structure remain in the soil.
6. Water moves into the tissues and cells by _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the process of bringing wild species under human management.
2. _____ is referred to as taking a genotype into new environments, where they were not being grown before.
3. Introduction of plants from a foreign country is called as _____.
4. Introduction from one state to another state is called as _____.
5. When the introduced variety is well suited to the new environment it is called as _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the increased function of any biological quality in a hybrid offspring.
2. Heterosis is otherwise known as _____.
3. _____ is the reduced fitness in a given population as a result of breeding of related individuals.
4. In _____ heterosis type, naturally occurring mutants are sheltered.
5. The progeny posses superiority over parents in vegetative growth, but reduction in yield is known as _____.
   1. Average heterosis is mathematically expressed as _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is a crossing between two genetically dissimilar parents.
2. Detasseling is done in _____.
3. _____ is an example for chemical hybridizing agent.
4. _____ is called as pollen parent.
5. _____ is the fertile counter part of A line.
6. DUS stand for _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the most important source of varietal deterioration during seed production.
2. _____ in oats is caused due to mutation.
3. In peas, _____ is caused due to mutation.
4. _____ is another most important source of varietal deterioration due to introgression to genes from unrelated stocks.
5. _____ is the major source of genetic contamination and varietal deterioration in cross fertilized crop.

I. FILL UPS

1. The initial handful of seeds obtained from selected individual plants of a particular variety is called as _____.
2. The panicles collected should be stored in a airtight drum under _____.
3. _____ is the original purified seed stock of a new variety in the hands of a plant breeder.
4. The seeds of a notified variety collected from the evolving institute with all the passport information is considered as _____.
5. Nucleus seed is produced by _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the progeny of nucleus seed.
2. Genetic purity of breeder seed is _____.
3. Physical purity of breeder seed is _____.
4. The colour of tag for breeder seed is _____.
5. _____ is the progeny of breeder seed.
6. Genetic purity of foundation seed is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is a matured ovule usually developed after fertilization.
2. Seed can also be defined as the _____ in resting stage.
3. _____ of seeds refers to the trueness to type.
4. Pure live seed is calculated by _____
5. _____ is the most crucial factor in the maintenance of seed germination and viability during storage.
6. _____ refers to the sum total of all the attributes that give effective plant stand in the field.

I. FILL UPS

1. The Seeds Act was passed in the year _____
2. Seed Control Order was passed in the year _____
3. The New Policy on Seed Development was passed in the year _____
4. Seed Act came into force in _____
5. In _____ year, Seed Rules were formed.
6. In _____ year, Seed Certification Agencies and Central Seed Certification Board were formed.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is basically a critical assessment of effective seed requirement.
2. _____ is the ratio of seed yield per seed generation.
3. The quantity of quality seed that have replaced the actual seed requirement of the location is _____.
4. SRR for hybrid seeds is _____
5. Seed multiplication ratio for groundnut _____

I. FILL UPS

1. Seed village is also known as _____.
2. ITC with Zeneca stands for _____.
3. ITC Zeneca has recently changed name to _____.
4. CENSAR stands for _____.
5. _____ is a compact area approach in which the whole village involved in seed production.
6. The concept of seed village is a _____.
7. Seed village concept was started in_____.
8. _____ has guided the experiment in wheat.
9. _____ is a milestone in green revolution.
10. CAPART stands for _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is required during raising of a seed crop to avoid contamination due to natural crossing.
2. _____ is another potent source of genetic contamination i.e., the plants differing in their characteristics from the seed variety.
3. Removal of off types is referred as _____.
4. _____ is the distance maintained between the seed crop and source of contaminant.
5. The isolation distance for cotton foundation seed production is _____.
6. The isolation distance for paddy is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the necessary component for vitamins.
2. _____ is vital for seed formation.
3. _____ is essential for protein synthesis.
4. _____ is essential for nut development in peanuts.
5. _____ is the key element for chlorophyll production.
6. _____ is the integral part of amino acids.
7. _____ is essential for seed and cell wall formation.
8. _____ catalyzes several plant processes.

I. FILL UPS

1. The beheaded portion of cabbage is called _____.
2. _____ method is followed for cauliflower seed production in India.
3. In carrot, _____ method is followed among seed companies for large commercial seed production.
4. Knob to seed method is followed in _____.
5. Bulb to seed method is followed in _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. The inflorescence of rice is _____.
2. The rice flower is called _____.
3. The stigma receptivity of rice crop is_____ period.
4. The pollen viability of rice is for _____.
5. The grain stem of rice is called_____.
6. Rice is _____ pollinated crop.

I. FILL UPS

1. Green revolution in wheat was started by _____ in Mexico.
2. Wheat revolution in India was started by_____.
3. Isolation distance for wheat seed production is _____.
4. Seed rate for wheat seed production is _____.
5. Wheat is a _____ pollinated crop
6. Seed multiplication ratio for wheat is ranged from _____.
7. Spacing adopted in wheat seed production plot is _____.
8. Average seed yield in wheat is _____.
9. _____ is the critical moisture content for wheat seed storage
10. The minimum pure seed percentage for wheat foundation seed is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ crop is known as the Queen of cereals.
2. Maize is a _____ pollinated crop.
3. Male inflorescence of maize is known as_____.
4. Female inflorescence of maize is known as_____.
5. Pollen viability in maize crop is_____.
6. Silk receptivity in maize crop is _____.
7. Isolation distance for maize certified seed production is_____.

I. FILL UPS

1. The inflorescence of sorghum is _____.
2. The pollen viability in sorghum is_____.
3. Spacing adopted in sorghum seed production is _____.
4. Seed rate recommended for sorghum seed production is_____.
5. Seed yield of sorghum is _____.
6. The moisture content of sorghum seed should be _____ during storage.
7. Isolation distance for hybrid sorghum seed production is_____.
8. Sorghum is a_____ pollinated crop.
9. _____ crop is used as a feedstock for production of ethanol.
10. _____ hybridization technique is followed for sorghum.

I. FILL UPS

1. Pearl millet is a_____ pollinated crop.
2. An example for protogyny is_____.
3. The isolation distance for foundation seed production of pearl millet is _____.
4. The spacing adopted for pearl millet is _____.
5. Seed yield of pearl millet is_____.
6. The moisture content of pearl millet seed during storage should be_____.
7. The planting ratio for pearl millet hybrid seed production is _____.
8. Presence of fertile counter part of female plants in the female rows is called _____.
9. In some female plants, fertile anthers may be hanging out only from a portion of the panicle. Such plants are called _____.
10. _____ technique is used for hybrid seed production of pearl millet.

I. FILL UPS

1. Redgram is commonly is known as _____.
2. _____ is the second most important pulse crop after chick pea.
3. Redgram, being a _____ capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen.
4. Pigeon pea contains_____% protein.
5. Isolation distance of redgram must be_____.
6. The spacing adopted for short duration red gram is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Blackgram is commonly known as _____.
2. Adopted spacing for blackgram is _____.
3. Seed rate for blackgram is _____.
4. Moisture content must be reduced to _____ for short term storage of blackgram seeds
5. Isolation distance for blackgram seed crop is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. The isolation distance for seed crop of greengram must be _____.
2. Spacing adopted for greengram seed production is _____.
3. Seed rate of greengram is_____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Cowpea is a _____ crop.
2. Isolation distance for cowpea foundation seed production is _____.
3. Spacing adopted for cowpea is _____.
4. Seed rate for cowpea seed production is _____.
5. The maximum permitted limit of offtypes for CS is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Lab lab is a _____ crop.
2. Spacing adopted for lablab seed production is _____.
3. The isolation distance for lab lab crop is _____.
4. The offtypes permitted for CS in lab lab crop is _____.
5. Seed rate for field lab lab is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Soybean is also known as_____.
2. _____ is the largest oil seed crop in the world.
3. Soybean is a_____ crop.
4. The isolation distance for soybean is _____.
5. Spacing adopted for soybean is _____.
6. Seed rate for soybean is _____.
7. _____ extracted from soybean oil used as emulsifier and lubricant.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is called as ‘king of fibres’ and ‘white gold’.
2. _____in the cotton meal is toxic to monogastric animals.
3. A purple spot is found in the claw of the petals is called _____
4. The isolation distance adopted for cotton is _____ for foundation seed.

I. FILL UPS

1. The isolation distance is _____ for foundation seed production of jute.
2. The maximum permitted limit of off types for foundation seed is _____.
3. The water requirement of jute crop is _____.
4. Seed rate recommended for olitorius type of jute is _____.
5. Seed rate recommended for capsularis type of jute is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Groundnut contains _____ oil.
2. Groundnut contains _____ protein.
3. Groundnut is a _____crop.
4. Stigma receptivity is for _____ after anthesis.
5. Fertilization occurs about_____ after pollination.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is the fastest growing oilseed crop in India.
2. The inflorescence of sunflower is _____.
3. The tiny flowers (or) florets are attached on a platform called _____.
4. Sunflowers in bud stage exhibit _____.
5. _____ is a tuft of hairs on the fruit.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ seed is one of the oldest condiments the human race has ever known.
2. Sesame seed contains _____ oil and _____ protein.
3. Sesame oil contains about _____ % oleic acid.
4. Isolation distance for gingelly certified seed production is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Castor seeds contain _____ % oil.
2. The castor is rich in which triglycerides _____.
3. _____is a toxin present in castor seed.
4. Castor is a _____ crop.

I. FILL UPS

1. _____ is a multipurpose crop that has been grown for orange red dye.
2. Safflower oil contains _____ % linoleic acid.
3. Orange red dye extracted from safflower flowers is called _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Tomato is a _____ pollinated crop.
2. _____ pigment is responsible for red colour of tomato.
3. Seed rate recommended for tomato is _____.
4. Isolation distance recommended for foundation seeds of tomato is _____.
5. Spacing adopted for tomato is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Brinjal is rich in _____ and _____.
2. In brinjal, _____ is the common feature in case of style.
3. Stigma receptivity of brinjal is _____.
4. Pollen viability in brinjal is _____.
5. The isolation distance recommended for brinjal certified seed production is _____.

I. FILL UPS

1. Dehydrated green chilli is a good source of _____.
2. Isolation distance adopted for chilli for foundation seed production is _____.
3. Seed rate of chilli is _____.
4. Spacing generally adopted for chillies are _____.