UPSC Prelims 2020 · Question 69 of 100

UPSC Prelims 2020 question on Sugarcane Cultivation Trends

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 seeds 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 seeds are directly planted, single-budded seeds 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?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 3 only
  3. 1 and 4 only
  4. 2, 3 and 4 only
Show answer

Answer: C. 1 and 4 only

Verdict

Correct statements: 1 and 4 → Option (c).

Statement by statement

Statement 1 – CORRECT: Sugarcane is commercially planted using setts (cuttings which can develop roots) at the rate of 6-8 tonnes per hectare, amounting to around 10 per cent of the total production. This large mass of planting material creates logistical challenges in transportation and storage of seed cane. To reduce the mass and improve the quality of seed cane would be to plant excised axillary buds of canestalk, popularly known as budchips. These bud chips are less bulky, easily transportable and more economical seed material. A bud chip nursery can be raised in mini-plot near experimental field. Hence statement 1 is correct.

Statement 2 – INCORRECT: Various research and experiment shows that germination percentage of 3 bud sets is higher than the setts having more or less than three buds. Germination percentage of single bud sett is very low because of moisture loss from other cut end. Hence statement 2 is not correct.

Statement 3 – INCORRECT: Various researches found that large setts seeds have better survival under bad weather conditions compared to single-budded seeds. Hence statement 3 is not correct.

Statement 4 – CORRECT: Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture. The tissue culture technique, owing to its cumbersome outfit and physical limitation, is turning out to be uneconomical. Hence statement 4 is correct.

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