India is both the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world. (a) Why are pulses considered nutritionally important in the Indian diet? (b) Describe any three geographical conditions suitable for pulse cultivation. (c) Name any two major pulse-producing states. (d) Why are pulses considered beneficial for the soil? (1+2+1+1=5)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:32 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(a) Pulses are the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet. Since a large part of India's population is vegetarian, pulses are nutritionally essential for meeting daily protein requirements.
(b) Three geographical conditions suitable for pulse cultivation:
- Moisture: Pulses need less moisture and can survive in dry conditions.
- Soil: They grow well in a variety of soils suited to dryland farming.
- Climate: They are grown in both rabi (gram, masur, peas) and kharif (tur, moong, urad) seasons, adapting to different temperature conditions across India.
(c) Two major pulse-producing states: Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
(d) Pulses are leguminous crops that fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, thereby restoring soil fertility. That is why they are mostly grown in rotation with other crops.
Source: Chapter 4 — Agriculture, Major Crops (Pulses)
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Explanation
- (a) The textbook specifically calls pulses "the major source of protein in a vegetarian diet" — use this exact phrase.
- (b) The passage directly states pulses need less moisture and survive dry conditions. For a 2-mark answer, give two to three clearly distinct points; season adaptability (rabi/kharif) is a valid third point drawn from the cropping pattern section.
- (c) The text lists MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, UP, Karnataka — any two are acceptable.
- (d) The key examiner-expected terms are leguminous, nitrogen fixation, and soil fertility restoration/crop rotation — all are explicitly in the passage. Note: arhar (tur) is the exception; all other pulses fix nitrogen.