29. With
reference to the circumstances in India agriculture, the concept of
“Conservation Agriculture” assumes significance. Which of the following fall
under the Conservation Agriculture?
1. Avoiding the monoculture practices
2. Adopting minimum tillage
3. Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops
4. Using crop residues to cover soil surface
5. Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 3 and 4
(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 2, 4 and 5
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 5
Ans: (c) 2, 4 and 51. Avoiding the monoculture practices
2. Adopting minimum tillage
3. Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops
4. Using crop residues to cover soil surface
5. Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 3 and 4
(b) 2, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 2, 4 and 5
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 5
Explanation:-
Conservation Agriculture is a set of soil management practices that minimize the disruption of the soil’s structure, composition and natural biodiversity. Despite high variability in the types of crops grown and specific management regimes, all forms of conservation agriculture share three core principles.
These include:
o maintenance of permanent or semi-permanent soil cover (using either a previous crop residue or specifically growing a cover crop for this purpose);
o minimum soil disturbance through tillage (just enough to get the seed into the ground) ;
o regular crop rotations to help combat the various biotic constraints;
Conservation Agriculture also uses or promotes where possible or needed various management practices listed below:
o utilization of green manures/cover crops (GMCC’s) to produce the residue cover;
o no burning of crop residues;
o integrated disease and pest management;
o controlled/limited human and mechanical traffic over agricultural soils.
o maintenance of permanent or semi-permanent soil cover (using either a previous crop residue or specifically growing a cover crop for this purpose);
o minimum soil disturbance through tillage (just enough to get the seed into the ground) ;
o regular crop rotations to help combat the various biotic constraints;
Conservation Agriculture also uses or promotes where possible or needed various management practices listed below:
o utilization of green manures/cover crops (GMCC’s) to produce the residue cover;
o no burning of crop residues;
o integrated disease and pest management;
o controlled/limited human and mechanical traffic over agricultural soils.
- Conservation Agriculture is a farming system that promotes maintenance of a permanent soil cover, minimum soil disturbance (i.e. no tillage), and diversification of plant species. It enhances biodiversity and natural biological processes above and below the ground surface, which contribute to increased water and nutrient use efficiency and to improved and sustained crop production.
- It does not include avoiding cultivation of plantation crops. Hence, option 3 is incorrect. Thus, options A,
- B and D are ruled out.
- Therefore, Option C is the most appropriate.