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 improved 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.

Passage

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. It’s 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 or 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.

Question

CSATMediumPrelims 2020Comprehension

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

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

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect. The passage does not mention farmers’ remuneration for either crop. It only highlights that pulses have higher productivity compared to paddy, without discussing farmers' income or earnings.

Statement 2 is correct. The passage suggests that pulse cultivation causes less pollution compared to paddy cultivation, likely due to less stubble burning and fewer chemical inputs.

Statement 3 is correct. The passage implies that pulse straw can be used to improve soil quality. This is beneficial for sustainability in agriculture and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Statement 4 is incorrect. While the passage acknowledges that burning paddy straw is the easiest option, it also suggests that paddy straw has other uses beyond the field, such as being converted into organic matter or used for bioenergy.

Statement 5 is incorrect. The passage does not state that mechanized agriculture is the primary cause of stubble burning. Instead, it highlights that burning is a convenient but harmful option for disposing of crop residue.