Unit 1: Food

Abrevati ons

Growing Plants
Qyeation
A- AAswer
Go to MyInspire and view e Also, answer the following:
TuneIn
F-Fact
1. Which plant part do new plants come out from?
2.
t conditions need to be met fora seed to growinto a plant?
What
E-Exarple
INTHISCHAPTER

Seeds Growing Plants from Other Parts Agriculture Tnp-Tportat

Sp- Spetlihg
Trapertant Goestions A.In RB PN-Sort ote
Canyou name some comnmon plants found near your home or
chool? Are there any baby plants growing in your school garden?
Have you ever watched a gardenertendto plants? Do baby plants
need more care than big plants? How do baby plants grow?
Every living being produces young ones of its own kind. It is one
of the most important characteristic features of living organisms.
The process by which living organisms produce young ones of their Ababy plant (called
seedling) growing
own is called reproduction. >Define

SEEDS
Take alook at the picture. Most plants
reproduce from seeds. Seeds can be
found inside fruits. If you cut a fruit in
half, you can see seeds inside them. Seeds

New plants or saplings grow from seeds. The process by which seeds
Shoot
grow into new plants is called germination. Defne
a Doall seeds germinate? The answer is 'no. Germination occurs
only when a seed gets the right amount of air, water, and warmth
Roots
from sunlight.
Tounderstand the process of reproduction, we must learn about
the structure of a seed.
Seed and sapling
 Try This!
1

Collect slices of diferent of fruits--apple, mango, lemon, papaya, and watermelon. Can
he seeds inside? Do all types
of these frits have the same number of seeds? you s%
Structure of Seeds
Seed coat
Look at the picture of a bean seed.
The outer covering of a seed is called
the seed coat. It protects the
doe plant inside the seed. The seedbaby
coat
also has a little hole through which
beth
Sesd
water enters the seed. The cotyledons
or seed leaves store food for the Outside Inside
-Cotyledo,
Cent plant which can grow into a new baby
Structure ofa dicot seed (bean)
plant.
coyle Some seeds contain two cotyledons and are Q. What
called dicot seeds. The bean seed is an isadca
of a dicot seed. Gram is another exampleexamplegced.ai
of aele.
-Seed coat
dicot seed.
Some seeds contain a single cotyledon and are called Embryo
monocot seeds. Rice and maize are examples of
monocot seeds.

Growing Plants From Seeds Structure of a monocot seed (maize)

We know that all seeds do not germinate into new plants. Why do you think this
There are many reasons for this.
happens?
Seeds may be eaten by birds or insects.
" Seeds may get blown away by wind or washed away by rain.
Seeds may not get enough air, water, and warmth from sunlight needed to
Once a seed gets sufficient air, water, and warmth it begins to germinate.
germinate.
Germination of a seed

Shrinking cotyledons

Water

Soil

8 Seed
Seeding
. Each seedl contains a baby plant or embryo.
When a seed get the right amount of air, water, and warmth, it begins to germinate.
The seed coat bursts open and the embryo comes out.
Part of the embryo grows downward. This develops into roots.
Another part of the embryo grows upward. This is the shoot which grows above the
ground.
. As the plant grows bigger, leaves appear.
The cotyledons gradually shrink and disappear.
puring the initial stages of germination, the seedling gets nutrients from the food
stored in the cotyledons. Once the leaves appear, the plant starts to prepare its own food
through the process of photosynthesis.
Seed Dispersal
Seeds need soil to grow. Seedlings absorb water and nutrients from the soil with the help
ofroots.

what do you think will happen if we scatter many seeds in asmall area? Then seedlings
willight with each other for air, water, nutrients, and space to grow. Each seedling
will lack the necessary things needed for growth. As a result, many seedlings will not
Survive.

To avoid such a situation, plants have natural ways to scatter their seeds far and wide.
The process by which seeds are scattered is called seed dispersal. > Detine
Ih nature, there are different methods through which seed dispersal occurs - wind,
water, animals, and explosion.
Seeds
Seed Dispersal by Wind
Seeds of some plants are
very light and they also have
special structures like wings
or hair attached to them. Wings
Thus, they can be easily
arried away by air.
Dandelion Maple
Seed Dispersal by Water
Some plants disperse their seeds through water.
Acoconut seed has athick coat of fibre that enables it to
float in water. Alotus fruit has a spongy part that enables
it to float. Therefore, they are carried away by water to
distant places away from the parent plant.

Afloating coconut 9
 Seed Dispersal by Animals
Birds and animals eat fruits and move from one place
to another. Seeds pass through their digestive system
as part of the faeces and are deposited at different
places. In this way, seeds are carried to other areas.
Seeds of some plants like cocklebur have spines or
hooks which get stuck to the bodies of animals. As
the animals move from one place to another, seeds
are carried to other places.
Hooks of cocklebur
We Seed Dispersal by Explosion
Fruits of plants like peas and beans burst open whenripe. This scatters seeds
directions. This is how dispersal of seeds by explosion occurs. in
Fact Store Lrp
difere
&wNUtcracker birds peck out
whitebark pine trees and flyseeds from
around
looking for places to bury these
E. The nutcrackers remember the seeds
locations where they buried exact
the
seedsseeds
and return tothemlater.
which are not recovered The
grow
whitebark trees. into new
bast s An exploded pea pod
Go to Mylnspire and view

Exercise Go to Mylnspire for questions Aand B.

C. Short Answer Questions

1. Where is food for a seedling stored?i te coty ledon

2. Name one monocot and one dicot seed, Grar snd. wise
3. What are the conditions necessary for the germination of a seed?t
MBSO.
D. Long Answer Question e rigkt amont ofair,Weter ad
1 Describe the process of germination of a seed. Explain with the help of a neat and
labelled diagram. RB

GROWING PLANTS FROM OTHER PARTS

Why (All plants do not reproduce through seeds. They can reproduce through other parts lie
stems, roots, and leaves. Different plants reproduce through different parts. Let us lean
through examples about how plants can reproduce by means other than seeds.
10
 Stems
E.Potato, ginger, sugarcane, and rose are some plants that reproduce
through stems.
potatoes and ginger grow buds. If a potato or ginger plant with
ds is planted in the soil, after a few days you can observe shoots
growing from it.

ENew plants can grow from the stems of rose, hibiscus, and money
plant also. Asmall part of the stem is cut and planted in the soil to
grow new plants.
How ?
Here is the process of growing a rose plant from a stem cutting.
Potato
Cut the rose stem at an angle, take at least 6-8 inches.
tis best to plant the cut portion immediately in the soil, but if this is not posible, then
the cut stem should be kept in water so it gets plenty of moisture. All leaves except the
very top ones should be cut and removed. Plant the cutting at aplace that gets plenty
of sunlight. Water the planted stems regularly. After awhile, the stem will start growing
roots and anew plant will grow gradually from the cut stem.

Growing a rose plant from astem cutting

Try This!E Imp
Collect stems of 10 different varieties of common
flowering plants. Plant them in separate pots. Water and
care for them with the help of your teacher or the school
gardener. Observe and see whether new plants grow
from any of these stems. A RA

Roots
Plants like carrots, radish, turnip, sweet potato,
dahlia, and beetroot can reproduce using their
oots. Asmall portion of the root is cut and
lanted. It grows into a new plant. Carrot Sweet potato

11
 Activity
Aim: How to grow plants from roots.
A-bdst Materials needed: Acarrot head, atray, and water
yProcedure: Eil the tray half-way with water. Now place
the carrot head inside the tray in such a manner that only VZ
nalt of it remains submerged inwater and the rest stays
91en above the water. Observe for a few days.
Observation: After afew days you will observe that tiny
Snoots sprout from the upper portion of the carrot head. Carrot head in a
EXplanation: Acarot is a root ofa plant. When it gets tray of water
adequate amounts of water, air, and warmth, it can sprout shoots. A carrot can
be
soil to grow into a new plant.
Additional
the
exploration: Change the conditions of the experiment to reduce pl
water s0
antedin
still appearthat
carrot cannot be submergedin water or place it in a dark room. Do shoots
from the carrot?

Leaves le
In addition to seeds, roots, and stems, plants can also
Leaf bud
t reproduce from leaves, for example, Bryophyllum. Small
buds grow on the edges of a mature Bryophyllum leaf. The
buds fall to the soil and new plants grow from them.)
Fact Store
.hat
In fern plants, reproduction occurs through spores. Spores are
tiny seed-like structures. They are found on the underside of
leaves. They fall to the ground and produce new plants. Bryophyllum leaf
Go to MyInspire and view (

Exercise II Go to Mylnspire for questions Aand B.

C. Short Answer Questions
1. How can new plants grow from potatoes? 5TR
throuah mare Brophyikm leat.
how does Bryophylum reproduce? et shoots erg e
3. How does a ginger plant reproduce?vow bd
D. Long Answer Question
1. How do plants reproduce through roots and sterms? Explain with examples. Tn RB

12
 AGRICULTURE
EFoodis essential for survival. Humans grow plants on alarge scale to produce food.
The practice of growingplants for the purpose of obtaining food or other purposes is called
Dagriculture. Agriculture involves growing of cro
Plants grown inlarge quantities for foodor other purposes are nown as crops. Wheat,
rice, mustard, and sugarcane are some important crops grown in India.
Processes in Agriculture
Agriculture consists of a number of processes.
Ploughing Farmers prepare the field for sowing crops. This is called ploughing. This
can be done using basic tools like ploughs and animals like bullocks. Nowadays, farmers
mostly use tractors to plough the fields. A?Ia AB Fact StoreMp
Adding manure and fertilizers Farmers Wy
add manure to the soil to increase soil fertility. In organic farming, no chemical
fertilizers or pesticides to kill pests are
Manure is made from dead plants and animals used. Instead, farmers use fertilisers and
and acts as a natural fertilizer. It adds essential pesticides that are made from plant and
nutrients to the soil. Chemical fertilizers are also animal matter. y A- nRB
used by many farmers.
Sowing seeds Next, farmers select the best quality seeds and sow these in the prepared
fields.
Irrigation The agricultural fields need to be watered regularly for crops to grow. The
practice of supplying water to the crops is called irrigation Farmers use many methods
to irrigate their fields. As the crops grow, they continue to be irrigated.
Pesticides Pests can harm or destroy crops. Let's Discuss 2.
Pesticides and insecticides are sprayed over crops CENTURY SKILS

Overuse of pesticides and chemical

to prevent pests from harming crops. Overuse of fertilizers poison the soil. How do you
chemical pesticides can reduce soil fertility and think this can impact our health? INRE
affect our health as well.
Harvesting The last stage in agriculture is when the crops are fully grown. The farmers
cut and gather the ripe crops.

1. Ploughing 2. Adding fertilizer 3. Sowing

13
 4. Irrigation 5. Spraying pesticides 6. Harvesting
Plants also need to be protected from birds, insects, and small animals like rats. The
harvested crops have to be stored well to keep them safe.
Types of Crops
Based on the season they are grown in India, we can classify crops into two types
Kharif and Rabi.
Kharif crops which
E Rice, maize, millet, and are Kharif crops. These crops are sown in the
jowar monsoon
months or rainy season and harvested before the start of winters. re Cald Wurh
Rabicrops Crops.
EWheat, gram, and mustard are Rabi crops. They are grown in the winter season and
harvested in the summer season. oe. o.o led Rab i Cg
sN Farming in the Hills
In the hilly regions, there is not enough plain land
to grow crops in large quantities. So, farmers grow
crops by cutting steps into the mountain sides.
The fields look like terraces cut into the hillside.
This is why it is known as terrace farming.
FTerrace farming helps in preventing soil erosion, as Terrace farming
it slows down the flow of water down a mountain.
Go to Mylnspire and view (

Exercise III Go to MyInspire for questions Aand B.

EMB

C. Short Answer Questions

is agriculture? practe otgrowing

plas
1.2. What
Why do farmers spray pesticides and insecticides over crons? keeg T h e e
3. Why do farmers add manure to afield? oincy ease soil teytilit
D. Long Answer Question
1. What are the different processes of agriculture?r
Ro

14
 0GA SDG
Biography VIMP
M.S. Swaminathan is an Indian agricultural scientist, who is known as
the 'Father of Green Revolution in India. He was one of the main people
involved in introducing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties which helped
India greatly increase its food production. He encouraged farmers to
replace traditional agricultural practices with modern scientific practices.
He has been honoured by many awards in recognition of his scientifc
discoveries and service to people.

Keywords VIMP
Germination The process by which seeds grow into new plants
Reproduction The process by which living organisms produce young ones of their own
Cotyledons Seed leaves that store food for the baby plant
Seed dispersal The process by which seeds of plants are scattered to different places
where they can germinate into new plants
Irrigation The practice of supplying water to the crops
Agriculture The practice of growing plants for the purpose of obtaining food or other
purposes
Crops Plants grown in large quantities for food or other purposes

Summary VLNP
" Most plants reproduce through seeds which are dispersed by wind, water, animals,and by
explosion.
" Aseed germinates only when itgets sufficient air, water, and warmth from sunlight.
" Plants also reproduce through roots, leaves, and stens.
Agriculture is the process of growing large quantities of crops for food or other purposes.
" The agricultural prOcesses in agriculture are ploughing, adding manure and fertilizers,
sowing seeds, irrigation,spraying pesticides, and harvesting.
" Kharif and Rabiare the two types of agriculturalcrops grown in lndia.

15
 Revision Exercises
Go to Mylnspire for queshons Aand B.
C. Picture Study
1. ldentify the plant part used for reproduction in the following figures:

Fig. A Fig. B
2. ldentify the agricultural process in the following pictures.

Fig. A Fig. B
EMB
D. Short Answer
1.
Questions
What is reproduction?
2. Give two examples of how seeds
3. What are the two
are dispersed by animals.
types of crops?
E. Long Answer Questions
1. What are the different
methods of
2. Explain the structure ofa bean seed dispersal? Explain with examples.
seed with the help of a labelled diagram.
HOTS Questions
APPLY

Take a look at the picture of seeds

provided below. Which one of these do you think will
germinate? Why?

Fig. A
16 Fig. B
Fig. C
 AALYS
ANALYSE

Wind helps disperse dandelion seeds, but a rainy day with a lot of wind will not help in the
dispersalof these seeds. Can youexplain why?
EVALUATE poe

Take a look at the pictures. Can you compare and evaluate which is a better way to protect crops?

Fig. A Fig. B

CREATE

Grow your own kitchen garden. You can use vegetable scraps from your kitchen and use them
to grow new plants in pots.

Cross-Curicular Connect CaTURY SKLus

Find out how the Green Revolution came about in India. Create a timeline to show how it took
place in India. (Social Studies)

AValue for you CENTURY SoLS

Surhit Kirmar is a small farmer from Utar Pradesh. He was the first in his village to start
organic farming. He stopped using chemical pesticides and fertilizers and instead only used
manure made from dead plants and animals. In the beginning, his farm did not produce much
and everyone laughed at him. But within two short years, his farm was producingmore and
better crops. His products were also tastier and of better quality.
a. What sort of values does Surhit Kirmar show?
b. If you saw someone take up the challenge of organic farming, would you encourage them
or make fun of them?

17)
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS
Read the passage and answer the questions given below.
A project has been initiated in 835 villages from Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, and
Punjab to promote organic farming. Over the years, due to repeated cultivation, the fertility
of the soil has reduced. The villages also have a drinking water shortage. It is hoped that
organic farming willprove to be less costily than traditional methods and will be better for
the soil. The villages have farmers who have very smallfields, and they are barely able to
make ends meet. Farmers are unwilling to stop using chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
They fear that the agricultural produce would decrease.
1. What do you understand by the term 'organic farming'?
2. Why do farmers not want to give up chemical pesticides and fertilizers?
a. Because they do not knowthe benefits of using organic fertilizers and pesticides.
b. Because they think using chemical pesticides and fertilizers is better for the soil.
C. Because they feel that the amount of crops would reduce.
d. Because they feel that learning how to use organic fertilizers will be difficult.
3. HoW would youconvince farmers to take up organic farming?

Go to Mylnspire and attempt

Let's Review Underetood allot the n, /

Come here after youhave completed the chapter. Score atopic from 1to 5() to
indicate how well youunderstand it. (5()=Verywell; 1() =Not at al)
List the conditions required for a seed to grow
into a plant.

Describe the structure of seeds.

Describe the structure of a dicot and monocot

seed.
Describe how seeds germinate and grow into
new plants.

Describe how seeds are dispersed.

Explain how plants can also reproduce through

roots, leaves, and stems.
List the different processes of agriculture and
types of crops.