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Q13 (IAS/2020) Economy ā€ŗ Agriculture & Rural Economy ā€ŗ Sustainable farming practices Official Key

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 :

Result
Your answer: ā€”  Ā·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 4 (1, 2, and 3) because zero tillage (no-till farming) offers multifaceted environmental and agronomic benefits.

  • Statement 1: Zero tillage allows for the sowing of wheat directly into the stubble of the previous rice crop using machines like the Happy Seeder. This eliminates the need for crop residue burning, reducing air pollution.
  • Statement 2: It facilitates Direct Seeded Rice (DSR). Instead of traditional transplanting, which requires raising a nursery and intensive puddling, seeds are sown directly into the soil, saving water and labor.
  • Statement 3: By leaving the soil undisturbed and retaining crop residues, zero tillage increases organic matter and minimizes soil respiration. This leads to carbon sequestration, as the soil acts as a carbon sink rather than releasing CO2 through frequent plowing.

Since all three statements accurately describe the advantages of zero tillage, Option 4 is the most comprehensive and correct choice.

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Q. What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture ? 1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of previā€¦
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 6.7/10 Ā· 3.3/10
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This question sits at the intersection of Agriculture (Economy) and Climate Change (Environment). It rewards candidates who study farming techniques not just as 'crops' but as 'solutions' to modern crises like stubble burning and soil degradation.

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
Does zero tillage in agriculture allow sowing of wheat without burning the residue of the previous crop?
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. 353
Presence: 5/5
ā€œThis 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: ā€¢ Minimum soil disturbance (No tillage or reduced tillage)ā€¢ Maintenance of permanent soil coversā€¢ Cropping system diversity, crop rotationsā€
Why this source?
  • Defines conservation agriculture as including no or minimum soil disturbance (no tillage) and maintenance of a vegetative soil cover through crop residues
  • Explicit linkage of 'no tillage' with keeping crop residues as a permanent soil cover ā€” which obviates the need to burn residues before sowing
Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > 2. Multiple Cropping or Poly-Cropping > p. 309
Presence: 3/5
ā€œā€¢ (c) Sequence Cropping: In this type of cropping, plants are grown two or more times in a sequence on the same land in the same year. The succeeding crop is planted after the preceding crop has been harvested. For example, rice + potato + groundnut. ā€¢ Relay Cropping: Here the seeds of another crop are sown before the previous crops are (d)harvested in that field. For example, Cotton and Mustard. Features: ā€¢ \mathbf{i}. Minimum plough is needed and the primary cost of cultivation is less. ā€¢ Weed infestation is less. ii. ā€¢ Residual fertiliser of previous crops is used for succeeding crops. iii.ā€
Why this source?
  • Notes that sequence cropping can require minimal ploughing, implying reduced soil disturbance between crops
  • Mentions use of residual fertiliser of previous crops, consistent with leaving residues and reduced disturbance rather than burning them
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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS Ā· 2017 Ā· Q71 Relevance score: -1.58

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 :

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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 ?

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What is/are the advantage/advantages of implementing the 'National Agriculture Market' scheme ? 1. It is a pan-India electronic trading portal for agricultural commodities. 2. It provides the farmers access to nationwide market, with prices commensurate with the quality of their produce. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

IAS Ā· 2016 Ā· Q83 Relevance score: -2.95

Which of the following is/are the advantage/advantages of practising drip irrigation? 1. Reduction in weed 2. Reduction in soil salinity 3. Reduction in soil erosion Select the correct answer using the code given below.