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Q71 (IAS/2017) Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Conservation › Sustainable agriculture practices Official Key

Which of the following practices can help in water conservation in agriculture ? 1. Reduced or zero tillage of the land 2. Applying gypsum before irrigating the field 3. Allowing crop residue to remain in the field Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is option C (1 and 3 only).

Conservation Agriculture practices, which include minimum or no soil disturbance (reduced/zero tillage) and maintenance of permanent soil cover through crop residues, help achieve higher productivity while reducing adverse environmental impacts[1]. These farming and soil management techniques contribute to the preservation of natural resources, including water[2]. Such practices protect organic matter and enable soil and water conservation[3].

Statement 1 is correct because reduced or zero tillage minimizes soil disturbance, which helps retain soil moisture and reduces water loss through evaporation. Statement 3 is correct because mixing crop residue with soils helps increase moisture[4], and maintaining crop residue cover protects soil and conserves water.

However, statement 2 is incorrect. While gypsum application can reduce soil pH and improve soil structure and permeability[5], it is primarily used for soil reclamation in saline-alkaline conditions rather than as a direct water conservation measure in normal agricultural practices.

Sources
  1. [1] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
  2. [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 352
  3. [3] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > Advantages of Conservation Agriculture (CA): > p. 353
  4. [4] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 15: Regional Development and Planning > Desertification and Desert Development Programme > p. 47
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Which of the following practices can help in water conservation in agriculture ? 1. Reduced or zero tillage of the land 2. Applying gyp…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6.7/10 ¡ 3.3/10
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Statements 1 and 3 are textbook definitions of 'Conservation Agriculture' found in standard Economy/Geography sources. Statement 2 requires a 'second-order logic' jump: knowing Gypsum treats alkaline soil is basic; realizing that treating alkaline soil improves infiltration and thus saves water is the applied step.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Do reduced or zero tillage practices help conserve water in agriculture?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 352
Presence: 5/5
“Conservation Agriculture (CA) is defined as a sustainable agriculture production system comprising a set of farming practices adapted to the requirements of crops and local conditions of each region, whose farming and soil management techniques protect the soil from erosion and degradation, improve its quality and biodiversity, and contribute to the preservation of the natural resources, water and air, while optimizing yields.”
Why this source?
  • Defines Conservation Agriculture (which includes reduced/no tillage) as protecting soil and contributing to preservation of natural resources, explicitly mentioning water.
  • Links CA practices to optimized yields while preserving water, implying water-conservation benefits of reduced-tillage systems.
Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > Advantages > p. 360
Presence: 5/5
“• o Higher crop productivity• o Decreased use of water, fertilizers and pesticides which reduces production cost• o Greater efficiency and lower agricultural product prices• o Reduced impact on natural ecosystems• o Less runoff of chemicals into rivers and groundwater”
Why this source?
  • Lists decreased use of water as a direct advantage of Conservation Agriculture.
  • Places reduced water requirement alongside other efficiency gains, supporting the claim that CA (including reduced/no tillage) conserves water.
Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
Presence: 4/5
“This novel resource conservation practice encompasses no or minimum soil disturbance, providing a vegetative soil cover through crop residues or other cover crops, and crop rotations for achieving higher productivity and reducing adverse environmental impacts. Conservation Agriculture is based on three core principles: • Minimum soil disturbance (No tillage or reduced tillage)• Maintenance of permanent soil covers• Cropping system diversity, crop rotations”
Why this source?
  • Identifies minimum soil disturbance (no tillage or reduced tillage) as a core principle of Conservation Agriculture.
  • Frames reduced/no tillage within a resource-conservation system aimed at reducing adverse environmental impacts, which includes water conservation.
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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS ¡ 2012 ¡ Q23 Relevance score: 1.79

Consider the following agricultural practices : 1. Contour bunding 2. Relay cropping 3. Zero tillage In the context of global climate change, which of the above helps/help in carbon sequestration/storage in the soil ?

IAS ¡ 2020 ¡ Q13 Relevance score: -1.57

What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture ? 1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of previous crop. 2. Without the need for nursery of rice saplings, direct planting of paddy seeds in the wet soil is possible. 3. Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

IAS ¡ 2010 ¡ Q23 Relevance score: -2.11

With reference to soil conservation, consider the following practices : 1. Crop rotation 2. Sand fences 3. Terracing 4. Wind breaks Which of the above are considered appropriate methods for soil conservation in India ?

NDA-I ¡ 2015 ¡ Q49 Relevance score: -4.02

A farmer in a semi-arid area claims that his farming practice is very environment friendly. Which of the following practices on his farm can justify his claim ? 1. Planting a tree belt. 2. Practising crop rotation. 3. Carrying out a large scale irrigation system. 4. Using organic fertilizers. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

IAS ¡ 2020 ¡ Q20 Relevance score: -4.77

In the context of India, which of the following is/are considered to be practice(s) of eco-friendly agriculture ? 1. Crop diversification 2. Legume intensification 3. Tensiometer use 4. Vertical farming Select the correct answer using the code given below :