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Q30 (IAS/2020) Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Conservation › Sustainable agriculture practices Official Key

What is the use of biochar in farming ? 1. Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming. 2. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. 3. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it enables the growing medium to retain water for longer time. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Result
Your answer: —  Âˇ  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 4 (1, 2 and 3) because all three statements accurately describe the functional benefits of biochar in modern agriculture.

  • Statement 1 is correct: Biochar’s lightweight nature and high porosity make it an ideal component for the growing medium in vertical farming. It provides structural support while reducing the overall weight of the system.
  • Statement 2 is correct: Biochar has a high surface area and porous structure that acts as a habitat for beneficial soil microbes. It specifically carbon-sequestrates and improves soil aeration, which promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms like Rhizobia, enhancing soil fertility.
  • Statement 3 is correct: Due to its extreme porosity, biochar acts like a sponge. It significantly increases the water-holding capacity of the growing medium, enabling plants to survive longer periods between watering and reducing nutrient leaching.

Since biochar enhances physical structure, biological activity, and moisture retention simultaneously, all statements are technically sound.

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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. What is the use of biochar in farming ? 1. Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming. 2. When biochar is a …
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 ¡ 3.3/10
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This is a classic 'Applied Agriculture' question. While standard books define Vertical Farming and Nitrogen Fixation separately, they don't explicitly link Biochar to them. You must bridge the gap: Biochar is essentially a 'permanent carbon sponge.' If you understand its physical structure (porous), the answers flow logically.

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
In farming, can biochar be used as part of the growing medium in vertical farming?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > VERTICAL FARMING > p. 310
Strength: 5/5
“In vertical farming, crops are grown indoors, under artificial conditions of light and temperature. It aims at higher productivity in smaller spaces. It uses soil-less methods such as hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponics. Vertical farming uses significantly less water and pesticides than traditional agricultural methods.”
Why relevant

Defines vertical farming as indoor production using soil-less methods (hydroponics, aquaponics, aeroponics), implying choice and design of growing media is a key consideration.

How to extend

A student could combine this with basic facts about biochar (that it is a solid amendment/medium) to ask whether a solid amendment can be integrated into or replace components of soil-less mixes or soilless substrates used in vertical systems.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 25: Agriculture > Eco-farming: > p. 361
Strength: 4/5
“It is the farming mutually reinforcing ecological approaches to food production. It aims at the maintenance of soil chemically, biologically and physically, as nature would do if left alone. Soil would then take proper care of plants growing on it. Feed the soil, not the plant is the watchword and slogan of ecological farming. • Organic Fertilizers: Three common forms: animal manure, green manure and compost. Inorganic Fertilizer: Does not add humus to the soil, resulting in less ability to hold water and support living organisms (earthworms, beneficial bacteria, and fungi, etc.) All rights reserved. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without permission in writing.”
Why relevant

Highlights that organic fertilizers and compost add humus and improve water-holding and biological properties of growing material.

How to extend

A student could compare the functional role of organic amendments with known properties of biochar (water retention, habitat for microbes) to assess whether biochar might play a similar amendment role in a growing medium.

Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.9 Organic Farming > p. 345
Strength: 4/5
“Introduction: Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, and biological pest control. It is a method of farming system which primarily aims at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by use of organic wastes and other biological materials along with beneficial microbes (bio fertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in an eco-friendly pollution free environment. This is a method of farming that works at grass root level preserving the reproductive and regenerative capacity of the soil, good plant nutrition and sound soil management, produces nutritious food rich in vitality which has resistance to diseases.”
Why relevant

Describes organic farming relying on organic wastes and biological materials with microbes to release nutrients—showing that growing media often combine inert matrix plus biological nutrient sources.

How to extend

A student could consider whether biochar could serve as an inert matrix or carrier for microbes/nutrients within a vertical farming substrate.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 26: Agriculture > Soil Conservation and Sound Farming Techniques > p. 244
Strength: 3/5
“This is much practised in the semi-arid lands under the system of dry farming both to conserve ground moisture and to replenish soil nutrients 9. Soil additives. Farmers are all aware that by adding manures or fertilizers to the soil, its fertility can be maintained. Organic manures, like cow-dung, bird droppings, green manure, farm wastes, compost and other decayed vegetation, are readily available in the farm and when applied in suitable quantities always increase crop yields.”
Why relevant

States that adding organic manures, compost and decayed vegetation to soil increases crop yields—demonstrating that additives to a growing medium are a common, yield-impacting practice.

How to extend

A student could investigate whether biochar, as an additive, could similarly affect moisture/nutrient dynamics in confined vertical growing media.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 10: Locational Factors of Economic Activities > Salient Features > p. 21
Strength: 3/5
“Sustainable agriculture has to prevent land degradation and soil erosion. It has to be replenish nutrients and control weeds, pests and diseases through biological and cultural methods. Sustainable agriculture is also known as enforcing organic farming or natural farming or permaculture. It is known as eco-farming as ecological balance is given importance. It is also called organic farming as organic matter is the main source of nutrient management. But some scientists consider that it is a misconception to think that sustainable agriculture is farming without chemical inputs. It is considered by some as integrated, low input and highly productive farming system.”
Why relevant

Links sustainable agriculture to using organic matter as the main source of nutrient management, indicating emphasis on medium composition for plant nutrition.

How to extend

A student could use this rule to frame questions about biochar's potential role in nutrient management within intensive systems like vertical farms.

Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-I ¡ 2015 ¡ Q47 Relevance score: 0.39

Which of the following are the charac- teristics of organic farming ? 1. Use of chemical fertilizers to improve soil fertility. 2. Frequent decomposing and fal- lowing. 3. Use of herbs to control pests. 4. Higher productivity per hectare. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

CDS-II ¡ 2010 ¡ Q24 Relevance score: -0.37

Which among the following statements about bio fertilizers are correct ? . 1. Azotobacter is one of the Nitrogen fixing bacteria used as a bio fertilizer. 2. They have to be applied to the leaves of the plant only. 3. They alter the chemical composition of the soil. 4. They can be used along with organic fertilizers. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

IAS ¡ 2015 ¡ Q11 Relevance score: -0.49

What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture? 1. Proliferation of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in soil can occur. 2. Increase in the acidity of soil can take place. 3. Leaching of nitrate to the groundwater can occur. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

IAS ¡ 2013 ¡ Q8 Relevance score: -0.58

Consider the following organisms: 1. Agaricus 2. Nostoc 3. Spirogyra Which of the above is/are used as biofertilizer / biofertilizers?