Improvement in Food Resources — Class 9 MCQs with Answers
Class 9 CBSE Science · Chapter 103
Pre-2026 syllabusThis chapter is from the older NCERT book. See the 2026-27 Class 9 Science chapters →
90 practice questions · 30 Easy · 30 Medium · 30 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 9 CBSE Science questions from Chapter 103, "Improvement in Food Resources". You get 9 timed quizzes made from 90 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 30 Easy, 30 Medium and 30 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that set top scorers in CBSE Board exams and the JEE & NEET foundation years apart.
To score well in "Improvement in Food Resources", focus on clear concepts in physics, chemistry and biology basics. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This trains you to stay accurate under time pressure, as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on Improvement in Food Resources, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 9 Science mastery score. 14 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Key concepts: Improvement in Food Resources (Class 9 Science)
This chapter covers how crop and animal yields are improved — through variety improvement, crop management, mixed and inter-cropping, and animal husbandry.
- Need for higher yield
- A growing population needs more food, achieved by improving crops and livestock without harming sustainability.
- Crop variety improvement
- Hybridisation (crossing varieties) and selection for traits like higher yield, disease resistance and quality.
- Nutrient and crop management
- Macro- and micro-nutrients come from manure and fertilisers; manure improves soil structure, fertilisers give specific nutrients but can harm soil if overused.
- Cropping patterns
- Mixed cropping (two crops together), inter-cropping (set rows) and crop rotation reduce risk and maintain soil fertility.
Improvement in Food Resources — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 9 Science)
14 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. The other 76 are timed and scored when you sign in.
- Q1Easy
Crop yield can be improved by:
A.Avoiding fertilisersB.Random sowingC.Using high-yielding varieties✓ CorrectD.Reducing irrigationAnswer: C. Using high-yielding varieties
Explanation: High-yielding varieties (HYV) are bred for greater output, disease resistance and better response to fertilisers, unlike avoiding fertilisers or sowing at random, which cut yield.
- Q2Easy
Cattle reared for milk are called:
A.Draught animalsB.Milch animals✓ CorrectC.Beef cattleD.Wild cattleAnswer: B. Milch animals
Explanation: Milch animals such as Sahiwal and Jersey are bred and reared specifically for high milk output, unlike draught cattle, which are kept for farm labour like ploughing.
- Q3Easy
Pulses are rich in:
A.CarbohydratesB.FatsC.Vitamins onlyD.Proteins✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Proteins
Explanation: Pulses like gram, lentil and pea are legumes whose seeds are concentrated protein sources, which is why they are prized as a plant-based protein rather than a carbohydrate or fat source.
- Q4Easy
Cattle used for agricultural work (e.g., tilling) are:
A.Milch cattleB.LayersC.Draught cattle✓ CorrectD.BroilersAnswer: C. Draught cattle
Explanation: Draught cattle, typically bullocks, are used for farm labour such as ploughing and pulling carts, unlike milch cattle, which are reared and bred for milk yield.
- Q5Easy
Crops grown in the rainy season (June–October) are called:
A.Rabi cropsB.Zaid cropsC.Kharif crops✓ CorrectD.Cash cropsAnswer: C. Kharif crops
Explanation: Kharif crops such as paddy, maize, soybean and cotton are sown with the onset of monsoon (June) and harvested by October, needing the season's high rainfall and warmth to grow.
- Q6Easy
Birds reared specifically for meat are called:
A.LayersB.Broilers✓ CorrectC.Migratory birdsD.SongbirdsAnswer: B. Broilers
Explanation: Broilers are chickens bred and fed a high-protein, energy-rich diet specifically to gain meat weight quickly, unlike layers, which are bred and managed for continuous egg production.
- Q7Medium
Nitrogen is fixed in soil naturally by:
A.CerealsB.Legumes (with rhizobium bacteria)✓ CorrectC.CottonD.SugarcaneAnswer: B. Legumes (with rhizobium bacteria)
Explanation: In root nodules of legumes, symbiotic Rhizobium bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable nitrates, which is why growing legumes naturally enriches soil nitrogen, unlike cereals like cotton or sugarcane.
- Q8Medium
Apiculture is the keeping of:
A.FishB.BirdsC.Bees✓ CorrectD.SilkwormsAnswer: C. Bees
Explanation: Apiculture specifically means keeping honey bees for honey and wax, while sericulture (silkworms), pisciculture (fish) and poultry (birds) are separate, unrelated practices.
- Q9Medium
Excessive use of chemical fertilisers can cause:
A.Improved soil structureB.Soil and water pollution✓ CorrectC.Increased rainfallD.Better biodiversityAnswer: B. Soil and water pollution
Explanation: Excess chemical fertiliser washes off fields into water bodies, causing eutrophication and polluting soil and water, rather than improving soil structure or biodiversity.
- Q10Medium
Cross-breeding of cattle aims to combine:
A.Disease resistance of indigenous breeds with high milk yield of exotic breeds✓ CorrectB.Two exotic breeds onlyC.Cattle with sheepD.None of the aboveAnswer: A. Disease resistance of indigenous breeds with high milk yield of exotic breeds
Explanation: Cross-breeding pairs high-yielding exotic cattle like Jersey with disease-resistant, climate-adapted indigenous breeds like Sahiwal, combining both traits in offspring better suited to Indian farms.
- Q11Medium
Which of the following is a micronutrient for plants?
A.NitrogenB.PhosphorusC.PotassiumD.Iron✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Iron
Explanation: Iron is needed only in trace amounts for chlorophyll synthesis, making it a micronutrient, unlike nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which plants need in large quantities as macronutrients.
- Q12Hard
Growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land is called:
A.Crop rotationB.Mixed cropping✓ CorrectC.Mono-croppingD.HydroponicsAnswer: B. Mixed cropping
Explanation: Mixed cropping grows two or more crops together on the same land without a row pattern, cutting the risk of total failure, unlike mono-cropping (one crop) or crop rotation (crops in succession).
- Q13Hard
Pisciculture refers to:
A.Honey-bee farmingB.Poultry farmingC.Pig farmingD.Fish farming✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Fish farming
Explanation: Pisciculture is the scientific rearing and breeding of fish, such as rohu, catla and mrigal in Indian ponds, distinct from poultry, pig or bee farming.
- Q14Hard
The key difference between mixed cropping and inter-cropping is:
A.Mixed cropping has rows; inter-cropping doesn'tB.Inter-cropping uses definite row patterns; mixed cropping does not✓ CorrectC.They are identicalD.Inter-cropping uses two seasonsAnswer: B. Inter-cropping uses definite row patterns; mixed cropping does not
Explanation: Inter-cropping plants different crops in definite, alternating rows for easier management, while mixed cropping scatters seeds of both crops together without any row pattern.
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Start this chapter free →Improvement in Food Resources — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 9 Science Improvement in Food Resources?+
This chapter covers how crop and animal yields are improved — through variety improvement, crop management, mixed and inter-cropping, and animal husbandry. Key ideas include Need for higher yield, Crop variety improvement, Nutrient and crop management, Cropping patterns.
What does Class 9 Science Chapter 103 (Improvement in Food Resources) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 90 NCERT-based MCQs on "Improvement in Food Resources": 30 Easy, 30 Medium and 30 Hard. Together they make 9 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams and the JEE & NEET foundation years.
Are these "Improvement in Food Resources" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "Improvement in Food Resources" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year on a launch offer until 1 December 2026. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "Improvement in Food Resources" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 9 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "Improvement in Food Resources" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 14 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "Improvement in Food Resources" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from Improvement in Food Resources (Class 9 Science)?+
The questions that matter most test Need for higher yield, Crop variety improvement, Nutrient and crop management, Cropping patterns. This page shows 14 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations; all 90 questions on the chapter are available as timed quizzes once you sign in.
Is there an online quiz for Improvement in Food Resources?+
Yes — Class 9 Science Improvement in Food Resources has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.