The term 'desirable trait' can mean different things for different plants. Justify the statement with suitable examples.
The desirable trait can be different for different for different plants. The breeders have tried to incorporate these into crop plants. The list may be as follows
(i) Increased tolerance to environmental stress (salinity, extreme temperature, drought) e.g., hybrid maize, jowar and bajra which are resistant to water stess.
(ii) Resistance to pathogens (viruses, fungi and bacteria) e.g., moong bean (resistance to yellow mosaic virus and powdery mildew).
(iii) Increased tolerance to insect pests. e.g., a new variety of Brassica (rapeseed mustard) is resistant to aphids.
(iv) High-yielding and improved quality of crop plant. e.g., Atlas 66 used as a donor for developing wheat varieties with improved protein content.
You are planning to set up a dairy farm. Describe the various aspects you would consider before you start the venture.
The following aspects are required to be considered
(i) Good breeds with high-yielding potenital should be kept.
(ii) Cattle should be fed in scientific manner with good quality and quantity of fodder.
(iii) Animal shed should be kept clean, away from dirt and pollution.
(iv) Cattle and handler should be kept in hygienic condition.
(v) Regular visit by veterinary doctors with proper record is needed.
(vi) Cattle should be housed well with adequate water and conditions should be disease-free.
It is said, that diseases are spreading faster due to globalisation and increased movement of people. Justify the statement taking the example of $\mathrm{H}_5 \mathrm{~N}_1$ virus.
The avian flu (bird flu) is a current and significant issue involving the global environment as well as the health of millions of people around the world. The $\mathrm{H}_5 \mathrm{~N}_1$ virus (influenza-A) occurs mainly in birds, is highly contagious among them and can be deadly.
The major global environmental issue that plays a large role in the advancement of the $\mathrm{H}_5 \mathrm{~N}_1$ avian influenza virus is globalisaiton. i.e., increasing integration of countries.
Through globalisation, the progression of the $\mathrm{H}_5 \mathrm{~N}_1$ avian influenza virus occur through the world at a pace faster than scientists can anticipate, and also technology and research cannot possibly keep up. Globalisation will give the $\mathrm{H}_5 \mathrm{~N}_1$ avian influenza virus an opportunity to travel to various parts of the world without impediment.
Once, it has developed the ability to spread easily from human to human, the major concern becomes the travel of individuals around the world, particularly air travel. Through air travel, an infected individual could infect dozens of people during their movement, those newly infected individuals would in turn, infect dozens more, and so on and so forth.
Explain the concept of the blue revolution.
The term 'Blue Revolution' refers to the remarkable emergence of aquaculture as an important and highly productive agricultural activity.
Aquaculture refers to all forms of active culturing of aquatic animals (including fish) and plants, occuring in marine, brackish or freshwater.
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?
Bee keeping or apiculture is an important enterprise of agriculture concerned with the maintenance of hives of honeybees for the commercial production of honey and wax. Bee keeping is a low investment, less problematic and highly profitable cottage industry.
The beehives when kept in the fields of sunflower, Brassica, apple and pear, increase the pollination efficiency of flowering plants and improve the yields.