India is the largest producer as well as the largest consumer of pulses in the world. Why are pulses particul…

Question

India is the largest producer as well as the largest consumer of pulses in the world. Why are pulses particularly important in the Indian diet, and what additional benefit do most pulse crops provide to the soil?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer Pulses are the **major source of protein in a vegetarian diet**. Since a large portion of India's population is vegetarian, pulses are essential for meeting daily protein requirements. Being **leguminous crops**, most pulses (except arhar/tur) help in **restoring soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen**. This makes them ideal for crop rotation with other crops, naturally enriching the soil without chemical fertilisers. Source: Major Crops, Chapter 4 --- ## Explanation - The question has two parts — dietary importance and soil benefit. Allocate roughly equal space to both. - Key term: **leguminous crops** — examiners expect this word. - Note the exception: **arhar (tur) does NOT fix nitrogen** — mentioning this shows thorough reading and earns full marks. - Avoid writing general lines about agriculture; stick to the two specific points asked.

Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question