Cropping patterns and agricultural geography — UPSC Prelims PYQs

Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period: I. Irrigation from wells allowed agriculture to expand away from flood plains and strips on river margins into the present Punjab and Haryana plains having underground water levels reasonably close to the surface. II. Draught-animal power was employed to draw up water out of the wells. Which of the following information support/supports the above statements? 1. There is evidence in the Rigveda of the use of ashma chakra (stone pulley wheel) and ahava (strapped wooden pails) to draw up water. 2. Mention has been made in the Rigveda of the use of implements like parashu/kulisha (axe) and datra/sreni (sickle). 3. There is a history of the use of ox, even before the Rigveda, for ploughing the land and pulling the carts. Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following countries are well known as the two largest cocoa producers in the world?

Consider the following plants: 1. Groundnut 2. Horse-gram 3. Soybean How many of the above belong to the pea family?

Consider the following statements: 1. The Government of India provides Minimum Support Price for niger (Guizotia abyssinica) seeds. 2. Niger is cultivated as a Kharif crop. 3. Some tribal people in India use niger seed oil for cooking. How many of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements: 1. India has more arable area than China. 2. The proportion of irrigated area is more in India as compared to China. 3. The average productivity per hectare in Indian agriculture is higher than that in China. How many of the above statements are correct?

“System of rice Intensification” of cultivation, in which alternate wetting and drying of rice fields is practised, results in: 1. Reduced seed requirement 2. Reduced methane production 3. Reduced electricity consumption Select the correct answer using the code given below

With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements: 1. Black gram can be cultivated as both kharif and rabi crops. 2. Green-gram alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production. 3. In the last three decades, while the production of kharif pulses has increased the production of rabi pulses has decreased. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following activities: 1. Spraying pesticides on a crop field 2. Inspecting the craters of active volcanoes 3. Collecting breath samples from spouting whales for DNA analysis. At the present level of technology, which of the above activities can be successfully carried out by using drones?

With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements: 1. A substantial saving in seed material is made when ‘bud chip settings’ are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field. 2. When direct planting of seeds is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds. 3. If bad weather conditions prevail when seeds are directly planted, single - budded seeds have better survival as compared to large setts. 4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

“The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-free days and 50 to 100 centimeters of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop?

With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in which in the last five years, consider the following statements: 1. Area under rice cultivation is the highest. 2. Area under cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds. 3. Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane. 4. Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs: Region Well-known for the production of 1. Kinnaur Areca nut 2. Mewat Mango 3. Coromandel Soya bean Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Consider the following crops 1. Cotton 2. Groundnut 3. Rice 4. Wheat Which of these are Kharif crops?

The lower Gangetic plain is characterized by a humid climate with high temperature throughout the year. Which one among the following pairs of crops is most suitable for this region?

India has experienced persistent and high food inflation in the recent past. What could be the reasons? 1. Due to a gradual switchover to the cultivation of commercial crops, the area Under cultivation of food grains has steadily decreased in the last five years by about 30%. 2. As a consequence of increasing incomes, the consu- mption patterns of the people have undergone a significant change. 3. The food supply chain has structural constraints. Which of the statements given above are correct?