Shifting cultivation is a form of agriculture in which the cultivated or cropped area is shifted regularly to allow soil properties to recover under conditions of natural successive stages of re-growth. In a shifting cultivation system, at any particular point in time a minority of ‘fields’ is in cultivation and a majority are in various stages of natural re-growth. Over time, fields are cultivated for a relatively short time, and allowed to recover, or are fallowed, for a relatively long time. Eventually, a previously cultivated field will be cleared of the natural vegetation and planted in crops again. Fields in established and stable shifting cultivation systems are cultivated and fallowed cyclically. This type of farming is called humming in India. It has been practised in the forested regions of the Central Highlands of India which comprise of three main plateaus — the Malwa Plateau in the west, the Deccan Plateau in the south (covering most of the Indian peninsula) and the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in the east.

Correct Option: B

Shifting cultivation is a form of agriculture in which the cultivated or cropped area is shifted regularly to allow soil properties to recover under conditions of natural successive stages of re-growth. In a shifting cultivation system, at any particular point in time a minority of ‘fields’ is in cultivation and a majority are in various stages of natural re-growth. Over time, fields are cultivated for a relatively short time, and allowed to recover, or are fallowed, for a relatively long time. Eventually, a previously cultivated field will be cleared of the natural vegetation and planted in crops again. Fields in established and stable shifting cultivation systems are cultivated and fallowed cyclically. This type of farming is called humming in India. It has been practised in the forested regions of the Central Highlands of India which comprise of three main plateaus — the Malwa Plateau in the west, the Deccan Plateau in the south (covering most of the Indian peninsula) and the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in the east.

A plantation is a large artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption. Plantation crops constitute a large group of crops. The major plantation crops include coconut, areca nut, oil palm, cashew, tea, coffee and rubber; the minor plantation crops include cocoa.

Correct Option: D

A plantation is a large artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption. Plantation crops constitute a large group of crops. The major plantation crops include coconut, areca nut, oil palm, cashew, tea, coffee and rubber; the minor plantation crops include cocoa.

Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar/different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. Crop rotation confers various benefits to the soil. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. Crop rotation also mitigates the build-up of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species is continuously cropped, and can also improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants.

Correct Option: A

Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar/different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. Crop rotation confers various benefits to the soil. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. Crop rotation also mitigates the build-up of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species is continuously cropped, and can also improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants.

Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock herding. In slash-and-burn agriculture, forest will typically be cut months before a dry season. The “slash” is permitted to dry, and then burned in the following dry season. The resulting ash fertilizes the soil, and the burned field is then planted at the beginning of the next rainy season with crop such as upland rice, maize, cassava, or another staple crop. Most of this work is typically done by hand, using machetes, axes, hoes, and other such basic tools.

Correct Option: D

Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock herding. In slash-and-burn agriculture, forest will typically be cut months before a dry season. The “slash” is permitted to dry, and then burned in the following dry season. The resulting ash fertilizes the soil, and the burned field is then planted at the beginning of the next rainy season with crop such as upland rice, maize, cassava, or another staple crop. Most of this work is typically done by hand, using machetes, axes, hoes, and other such basic tools.

Kharif crops refer to the planting, cultivation and harvesting of any domesticated plant sown in the rainy (monsoon) season on the Asian subcontinent. Such crops are planted for autumn harvest and may also be called the summer or monsoon crop in India and Pakistan. Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains in July, during the southwest monsoon season. Common kharif crops are: millet; jowar; maize, green gram, sugarcane, pigeon pea, black gram, groundnut, sunflower, soya bean, rice, etc.

Correct Option: C

Kharif crops refer to the planting, cultivation and harvesting of any domesticated plant sown in the rainy (monsoon) season on the Asian subcontinent. Such crops are planted for autumn harvest and may also be called the summer or monsoon crop in India and Pakistan. Kharif crops are usually sown with the beginning of the first rains in July, during the southwest monsoon season. Common kharif crops are: millet; jowar; maize, green gram, sugarcane, pigeon pea, black gram, groundnut, sunflower, soya bean, rice, etc.