Renganathan.R AP/RAC

Food Resources

Food Resources Among all the living organisms, only green plants

are autotrophs, i.e., they make their own food. In contrast to green plants, animals and human

beings are heterotrophs, i.e., they depend on plants and other animals for food.

All the parts of one or other plant are consumed by humans in the form of cereals, vegetables, spices and fruits.

Animals produce milk, butter, egg, meat, etc., which also supplement our food requirements

Crops are plants grown in community on larger area.

Agriculture is an applied science which deals with mass production of plants and animals useful to human beings.

Food Production

Nutrients for plants The food required by plants is composed of

certain elements, which are known as nutrients along with the functions of the solar energy.

16 nutrient sources are: Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Iron, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, Chlorine.

Sources of the nutrients are the air, water and soil.

Macro Nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur.

Micro Nutrients: Iron, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Molybdenum, Chlorine.

Food Production

Manure: Manures are natural fertilizers. They are bulky sources of organic matter which supply nutrients.

Fertilizers: Fertilizers are the sources of plant nutrients, manufactured commercially from chemicals. Chemicals can be organic compounds and inorganic compounds.

Food Production

Manures manure is a natural substance. It is obtained by

the decomposition of animal wastes such as dung (gobar) of cattle and buffaloes and plant residues.

A manure contains small amounts of essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

A manure adds a great amount of organic matter in the form of humus in the soil.

Nutrients present in the manure are absorbed slowly by the crop plants since manure is not soluble in water. Nutrients exist locked inside the organic compounds of humus.

Food Production A manure is voluminous and bulky so it is

inconvenient to store, transport, handle and apply to the crop.

A manure is cheap and is prepared in rural homes or fields.

Fertilizers A fertilizer is a human made substance. It is an

inorganic salt or an organic compound.Fertilizers are very rich in plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

A fertilizer does not add any humus to the soil. Being soluble in water, a fertilizer is readily

absorbed by the crop plants.

Food Production A fertilizer is nutrient specific. It can provide

specifically nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the soil according  to the need.

A fertilizer is compact and concentrated so it is easy to store, transport and apply to the corp.

A fertilizer is costly and is prepared in factories. High doses of these chemicals greatly increase

crop yield but then chemicals get washed off through irrigation, rain fall as drainage and reach rivers, lakes, streams and pollute them.

Food Production

Importance of waterCrop plants are irrigated with freshwater to

supply two essential elements to them, hydrogen and oxygen.

Irrigation of crop fields is necessary to provide sufficient moisture for the germination of seeds.

Irrigation of crop plants is essential for the growth and elongation of the roots of the crop plants.

Irrigation of crops is necessary to increase the number of aerial branches .

Irrigation is essential for the absorption of nutrient elements by the crop plants from the soil.

Food Production

Irrigation Nature of crop Nature of soil Canals, tanks, wells(dug wells, tube wells),check

dams.Protection of crops Pest control

Mechanical methods Cultural methods Chemical methods Biological methods

Weed control Disease control

Food Security Access for poor and improvement in their

nutrition. Increasing population and increasing incomes

increase the demand. More need high quality produces. Meeting the demands with increase in supply A stress on water and land as they are the basic

resources required for agriculture.

Food Production in India Agriculture sector contributes one-fourth of the

country’s GDP. India is the largest producer of milk, fruits,

pulses, cashew nuts, coconuts and tea in world and accounts for 10 % of the world fruit production.

India’s food grain production is expected to rise to 208.5 million tones by March 2006, from 204.6 million tones in 2005.

Horticulture sector contributes 30 % of the agriculture GDP and accounts for 8.5 % of cultivated area.

Cotton production for FY 2005-06 has increased to 18.4 million bales, compared to the previous forecast of 17 million bales.

Basmati exports in FY 2005 grown to USD 596 million from USD 432 million in previous year.

Food Production in India Non-Basmati rice exports grew to USD 880.0

million in FY 2005 from USD 483.8 million in previous year.

Agriculture output expected to grow by 3% in 2005-06, compared with 1% in 2004, as per a Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) study.

Joining the list of biotech mega countries, India now has 14 biotech crops under consideration

CII has estimated that the food processing sector has potential of attracting USD 33 billion (Rs.150, 000 Crores) of investment in next ten years..

It is estimated that the total food production in India is likely to double in the next ten years.

Thank you……..