AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Black soil is ideal for growing cotton. It is made up of extremely fine clayey material with high moisture-retaining capacity, which makes it suitable for cotton cultivation.
Source: Resources and Development, Classification of Soils – Black Soil
The textbook explicitly states: "Black soil is ideal for growing cotton" and "The black soils are made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture." Both the Assertion and Reason are factually correct, and the moisture-retaining property of black soil directly explains why it suits cotton, making R the correct explanation of A. Choose option (A).