Question

Assertion: Pulses except Tur dal are grown in rotation with other crops.
Reason: They are leguminous and help in restoring the fertility of soil by fixing nitrogen from air in the roots.
A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.

Answer 1

Hint: Leguminous plants help improve soil fertility. Not all pulses are leguminous plants. Plants that are rotated must have some leguminous plants otherwise it will not help with the soil fertility.

Complete Answer:
Crop rotation is a process where a series of different types of crops are grown in the same area in changing seasons. The reason is because it reduces the depletion of one set of nutrients from soil that a particular crop would need. So, planting multiple varieties of crops helps in keeping the soil more fertile.

Let us now take a look at the assertion and reason given:
To benefit the soil, farmers often rotate the other crops with leguminous plants. Leguminous plants have special microbes living in their root nodules which help to fix nitrogen in the soil making it more fertile. Most species of pulses are such plants except the Tur (arhar) dal. So, while pulses are grown in rotation, Tur dal is not, since it does not help the soil fertility.

Therefore, the assumption and reason are both correct. With that in mind, let us now see the options:
A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct. The given Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion. So, this is the correct option.
B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct. But the Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion. So, this is incorrect.
C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect. This option is also incorrect.
D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect. This option is incorrect as well.

Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Note: Major pulses that are grown in India are tur (arhar),masur, moong, urad, moong, gram and peas.
- Pulses need less moisture and survive even in dry conditions.
- States in India that are major pulses producing regions are Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.