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Q73 (IAS/2021) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas › Economic plant resources Official Key

Consider the following statements : 1. Moringa (drumstick tree) is a leguminous evergreen tree. 2. Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asia. 3. In India, most of the tamarind is collected as minor forest produce. 4. India exports tamarind and seeds of moringa. 5. Seeds of moringa and tamarind can be used in the production of biofuels. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 2 (3, 4 and 5) based on the following analysis:

  • Statement 1 is incorrect: While Moringa belongs to the order Brassicales, it is not a leguminous tree (which belongs to Fabaceae). It is also generally deciduous, not evergreen, in many climates.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is native to Tropical Africa, not endemic to South Asia, though it has been naturalized in India for millennia.
  • Statement 3 is correct: Tamarind is classified as a Minor Forest Produce (MFP) in India, and a significant portion is collected by tribal communities from forest areas.
  • Statement 4 is correct: India is a leading exporter of both tamarind and moringa seeds/powder to countries like the USA and Europe.
  • Statement 5 is correct: Research confirms that oils extracted from moringa and tamarind seeds can be processed into biodiesel, making them viable for biofuel production.

Since statements 1 and 2 are false, Option 2 is the only logically consistent choice.

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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. Consider the following statements : 1. Moringa (drumstick tree) is a leguminous evergreen tree. 2. Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asi…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 5/10
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This is not a biology question; it is an 'Economic Botany' question derived from the National Policy on Biofuels and TRIFED's MFP list. Standard books fail here; success required tracking government schemes (MFP MSP) and commodity export trends (APEDA).

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
Is Moringa (drumstick tree) a leguminous (Fabaceae) plant?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Moringa oleifera Lam. (drumstick tree) is a tropical tree from the family Moringaceae."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly names Moringa oleifera (drumstick tree) and gives its botanical family.
  • States the family as Moringaceae, which is different from Fabaceae (legumes).
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Moringa oleifera is a short-lived, fast-growing, drought-resistant tree of the family Moringaceae, native to northern India"
Why this source?
  • Describes Moringa oleifera and explicitly states its family.
  • Confirms the family as Moringaceae rather than Fabaceae.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 2: Functions of an Ecosystem > s r n r u l z N ,- / & f . -. : : u ' , \ S ACADEMY * d 6 # . , r '' t u f Y l ' ' J * w { d ) / u Y . / > p. 20
Strength: 5/5
“& srnrul<zrR ". N ,- / & f. -.:.:u' ,\SACADEMY *d6#.,r'' tufYl' 'J *w{d )/ uY./ include free living nitrifying bacteria (e.g. aerobic Azotobacter and anaerobic Clostridium) and symbiotic nitrifying bacteria living in association with leguminous plants and symbiotic bacteria living in non-leguminous root-nodule plants (e.g., Rhizobium) as well as blue-green algae (e.g., Anabaena, Spirulina). Ammonium ions can be directly taken up as a source of nitrogen by some plants, or are oxidized to nitrites or nitrates by two groups of specialized bacteria: Nitrosomonas bacteria promote transformation of ammonia into nitrite. Nitrite is then further transformed into nitrate by the bacteria Nitrobacter.”
Why relevant

Explains a key biological trait of leguminous plants — they form symbioses with Rhizobium and other nitrogen-fixing organisms in root nodules.

How to extend

A student could check whether Moringa forms root nodules or associates with Rhizobium to assess if it behaves like a legume.

Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 26: Agriculture > Soil Conservation and Sound Farming Techniques > p. 243
Strength: 3/5
“In many estates of the tropics where the gestation period before a crop can be harvested is long, e.g. rubber, oil palm, tea or coffee, cover crops like sweet potatoes, leguminous plants and creepers are planted in between the young trees to give some protection to the top soil. When the trees are fully grown they provide a cover but in their early stages the ground between them may be bare.”
Why relevant

States that 'leguminous plants' are commonly used as cover crops between young trees, linking the category to agronomic roles (soil protection, fertility).

How to extend

One could test if Moringa is used similarly as a cover/green-manure or planted for nitrogen improvement to infer legume-like function.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea) > p. 52
Strength: 3/5
“Sunhemp belongs to family Fabaceae. It is a crop grown for production of best fbers. It is also a green manuring crop and minor fodder crop of lesser importance. It is also a green manuring crop and a minor fodder crop of lesser importance. Te fber is dull yellow, somewhat coarse, strong and durable. Owing to be fbre having high cellulose content, low lignin and negligible ash, the paper industry has identifed it as the most suitable indigenous raw material for manufacturing tissues paper and paper for currency. In rural areas it is used for making ropes, twines, nets, hand-made paper and tat pattis.”
Why relevant

Gives a concrete example (Sunhemp, Crotalaria juncea) of a Fabaceae species used as green manure and fiber crop, illustrating typical uses and traits of legumes.

How to extend

Compare Moringa's fruit/seed morphology and agronomic uses to those of named Fabaceae examples to look for similarities (pods, green manure use).

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Groundnuts or Peanut (Arachis hypogoea) and Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) > p. 33
Strength: 3/5
“With 6.3 million hectares and 9.20 million tones of nuts in shell, India shares 28% area and 19% production of groundnut of the world. Nearly 81% of the area and 84% of the production are concentrated in the four states, viz. Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Te other producing states are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. Groundnut or peanut is a leguminous plant. Groundnut, in fact, is not a nuts but a type of bean. Groundnut originated in Brazil, but are now grown very widely in the tropical and sub-tropical areas. Tey require warm temperature around 25°C and light to moderate rainfall of about 40 cm in the coastal areas of high humidity and about 70 cm in the drier interior regions.”
Why relevant

Describes groundnut (Arachis) as a leguminous plant and notes its pod/bean nature and tropical distribution — an example of morphological and geographic patterns in Fabaceae.

How to extend

A student could check whether Moringa produces pods/beans or shares similar tropical/subtropical cultivation patterns common to legumes.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Pigeon-pea or Arhar/Tur (Cajanus cajan) > p. 29
Strength: 4/5
“Pigeon pea is a native crop of India. It is cultivated throughout in tropical and subtropical regions and warmer temperate regions from 30°N to 30° S. Plant is woody perennial, but often grown as an annual crop. Pegion-pea (Arhar) is consumed extensively as dal. In some parts of India green-pods are used as vegetables. Te pod husk and seed husk are used as feed for cattle. Te dry sticks are used as fuelwood or for thatching purposes. Te deep root open the soil to improve physical properties of the soil. Te plans shed large amount of leaves which add organic matter to soil.”
Why relevant

Describes pigeon-pea (Cajanus) as a woody/annual leguminous crop with soil-improving leaves and deep roots, showing that legumes can be woody and perennial/annual.

How to extend

Since Moringa is a woody tree, one could use this example to note that some legumes are woody — so Moringa being woody does not rule out Fabaceae membership; check floral/fruit/root nodule traits next.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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