Comprehension : Comprehension

Q 164 / 466

UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

The pulse variety 'Pusa Arhar 16' has the potential to be grown in the paddy-growing regions of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and eventually in all of India. Its yield (about 2000 .kg/hectare) will be significantly greater than those of the existing varieties and because its size will be uniform, it will be amenable to mechanical harvesting, an attractive feature for farmers in northern. India who currently use this technology for paddy. Most important, Arhar straw, unlike paddy straw, is green and can be ploughed back into the soil. In paddy straw, the problem is the high silica content, which does not allow for easy decomposition. In the case of Arhar, the farmer, even after combine harvesting, just needs to run a rotovator to cut the leftover straw into pieces, which can be ploughed back and will decompose very fast. All this is difficult with leftover paddy stalks that cannot be easily salvaged or ploughed back. Farmers, therefore, choose the easiest option of simply burning it.

Which of the following are the most rational inferences that can be made from the passage?

  1. Farmers' income will be higher with pulse cultivation than with paddy cultivation.
  2. Pulse cultivation causes less pollution as compared to paddy cultivation.
  3. Pulse straw can be used to improve soil quality.
  4. In the context of northern Indian agriculture, paddy straw has no usefulness.
  5. Mechanized agriculture is the main cause for stubble burning.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (C)

Inference 2: The passage indicates that Arhar straw decomposes rapidly when ploughed back into the soil, thereby eliminating the need for stubble burning. In contrast, paddy straw's high silica content hinders decomposition, leading farmers to burn it, which causes pollution. Therefore, pulse cultivation, as described for 'Pusa Arhar 16', results in less pollution.

Inference 3: The passage explicitly states that Arhar straw is green and can be ploughed back into the soil, where it decomposes quickly. This process enriches the soil, indicating an improvement in soil quality.

Incorrect Options:

Inference 1: While the passage highlights a significantly higher yield potential for 'Pusa Arhar 16' compared to existing pulse varieties, it does not provide a direct comparison of farmer income between pulse and paddy cultivation. Income is influenced by multiple factors such as market prices, input costs, and demand, which are not discussed. Thus, a definitive inference about higher income cannot be made solely from the passage.

Inference 4: The passage details the challenges associated with paddy straw, specifically its high silica content hindering decomposition and making it difficult to plough back. However, it does not assert that paddy straw possesses no usefulness whatsoever. Its utility in other applications like fodder, biofuel production, or composting is not addressed, and the passage focuses only on the difficulty of its management in the field.

Inference 5: The passage mentions that farmers in northern India use mechanized harvesting for paddy. However, it attributes stubble burning primarily to the difficulty in managing leftover paddy stalks due to their high silica content, which impedes easy decomposition. Mechanized harvesting might leave stubble, but the fundamental reason for burning is the inherent characteristic of paddy straw and the difficulty of its decomposition, not merely the use of machinery.