UPSC Prelims 2020 Q89: Geography – Indian Agriculture & Land Use

UPSC Prelims 2020, General Studies Paper I · Geography

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 settlings’ are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field. 2. When direct planting of setts 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 setts are directly planted, single - budded setts 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?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 4 only
(d) 2, 3 and 4 only

Answer: (c) 1 and 4 only

Explanation

Sugarcane Cultivation: Modern Agronomic Practices

Statement	Claim	Verdict	Detail
1	Bud chip settlings save seed material	TRUE	Tissue-cultured/bud chips use minimal propagule, save 80%+ seed material vs whole-stalk setts.
2	Single-bud setts have better germination	FALSE	Multi-bud setts germinate better (more meristems, higher success). Single-bud used for tissue culture, low success in field.
3	Single-bud setts survive adverse weather	FALSE	Multi-bud setts have BETTER survival in poor weather (redundancy). Single-bud = fragile.
4	Tissue culture settlings viable	TRUE	Sugarcane can be propagated using tissue-cultured plantlets. Increasingly adopted for disease-free crop.

Statements 1 and 4 are correct. Answer: (c) 1 and 4 only.

Answer: (c) 1 and 4 only.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Incorrect. Statements 3 and 4 are not both correct (3 is false).
(b) Incorrect. Statement 3 is false.
(c) CORRECT. Statements 1 (bud chip seeds saving) and 4 (tissue culture propagation) are correct. Statements 2 and 3 overstate single-bud advantages.
(d) Incorrect. Statements 2 and 3 are false.

Key point

Sugarcane propagation: Traditional (whole-stalk setts) vs modern (tissue culture, micro-propagation). TC ensures disease-free, higher yield, but capital-intensive.

Remember

Modern sugarcane cultivation: (1) Bud chip settlings DO save significant seed material through tissue culture (correct), (2) Single-bud setts do NOT have better germination than multi-bud (incorrect), (3) Single-bud setts do NOT have better survival in adverse weather (incorrect), (4) Tissue-cultured settlings CAN be used for sugarcane propagation (correct). Answer: 1 and 4 only.

Common mistakes

Overestimating single-bud sett advantage. Multi-bud is still preferred for field planting (germination reliability).
Confusing micro-propagation (tissue culture lab) with field bud-chip settling (practical farming).
Missing that TC sugarcane is ~30% higher yield but requires good agronomic management.

Exam tip

India's sugarcane program: Promoting TC sugarcane (disease resistance to red rot, smut). STDC (Sugarcane Technology Development Centre) coordinates release of new varieties.

Sources

Indian Sugar Technology Association - Sugarcane Breeding Research
ICAR - Sugarcane Cultivation Manual

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