(1) Rotation of crops is a universal phenomenon which is practised by most of the farmers of the tropical and temperate countries. The main objective of rotation of crops is to obtain higher agricultural returns on the one hand, and to maintain the soil fertility on the other.
(2) In other words, the rotation of crops helps in making agriculture more sustainable. The importance of crop rotation is more in the areas where farmers grow two, or more than two crops in the same field in a year. Irrigation facilities have also been appreciably developed in the country during the last three decades. The availability of water to the arable land has helped in the intensification of agriculture.
(3) In the areas such as Punjab and Haryana, where the Green Revolution is a big success, one soil exhaustive crop (rice) is followed by another soil exhaustive crop (wheat). Subsequently, the field vacated by wheat is devoted to either rice or maize or cotton. Thus, in one year, the farmers are harvesting three soil exhaustive crops from the same field. Such a rotation of crops may fetch more income to the farmers, but depletes the soil fertility at a faster pace.
(4) A number of field studies were conducted to assess the traditional crop rotation pattern. One such field study about the changes in the rotation of crops was conducted in the village Banhera (Tanda), Haridwar district. The main rotation of crops of the village is shown in the table below.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions based on it.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:10 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
(i) It is a fact because it is an objective detail.
(ii) True. Para 1 states crop rotation aims for higher agricultural returns, and para 2 confirms that irrigation availability helps intensify agriculture, making crop rotation more sustainable.
(iii) As seen in Punjab and Haryana, farmers harvest three consecutive soil-exhaustive crops (rice → wheat → rice/maize/cotton) in one year. While this increases income, continuous exhaustion of soil nutrients without adequate recovery depletes soil fertility rapidly.
(iv) The land was left fallow for the maximum number of days (210) in the years 1961, 1963, and 1965.
(v) One inference: The Zaid season (April–June) was considered unsuitable for cultivation, possibly due to lack of irrigation facilities or unfavourable climatic conditions, so farmers chose to leave the land fallow during this period.
(vi) (D) (1) and (5)
(vii) Benefit: Crop rotation helps maintain soil fertility and makes agriculture more sustainable by preventing continuous nutrient depletion.
Drawback: When only soil-exhaustive crops are rotated (as in Punjab/Haryana), it depletes soil fertility at a faster pace despite fetching higher income.
(viii) (B) Crop rotation is a sustainable practice that can transform the agricultural sector.
Source: Passage on Rotation of Crops, Paras 1–4 and Table.
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Explanation
- (i) Fact vs. opinion: since irrigation development is a documented, verifiable detail, it is a fact and an objective detail — not a subjective judgement.
- (ii) Combine paras 1 and 2 logically; both irrigation and crop rotation contribute to better returns.
- (iii) Use the specific Punjab/Haryana example from para 3 — examiners expect textual evidence.
- (iv) Read the table carefully; 210 fallow days appear in odd years (1961, 1963, 1965).
- (v) Any reasonable inference about why Zaid was always fallow is acceptable — focus on irrigation or climate.
- (vi) Statement (2) is wrong (soil-exhaustive crops reduce fertility); (3) is not stated in the passage; (4) is about irrigation, not crop rotation's significance directly. Only (1) and (5) match para 1.
- (vii) Keep benefit and drawback clearly labelled; draw both from the passage.
- (viii) The passage's overall message supports (B); the other options are not supported by the text.