Question

The important crop that helps to restore soil fertility by nitrogen fixation and is also a good source of protein is:
A. Cereals
B. Pulses
C. Vegetables
D. Fruits

Answer 1

Hint:
> They produce lower carbon and water footprints.
> When grown as cover crops, they are effective in controlling soil erosion.
> They also play an important role in improving the sustainability of agricultural cropping systems and mitigation of the effects of climate change.

Complete answer:
Pulses are annual leguminous crops cultivated solely for their seeds. These include Bambara beans, chickpeas, cowpeas, dry beans, Faba beans, lentils, lupines, pigeon peas and vetches, but exclude soya beans and groundnuts that are considered oil crops. Pulses fix nitrogen in the soil and reduce the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and thus increase soil fertility.

Nitrogen is the plant's most important nutrient. Pulses can use the nitrogen present in the soil through a symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that live within the roots of the plants. Pulses also increase soil fertility and are therefore grown as rotational crops between different crops.

Pulse is a source of human dietary proteins, amino acids and other nutrients. Pulses minimise the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilisers because they fix nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere and provide soil with organic matter.

The following are the following options:

Cereals are excellent protein sources but are unable to restore soil fertility by nitrogen fixation. Thus, Option A is an incorrect option.
Pulse is an essential crop that helps in the restoration of soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and is also an excellent source of protein. Thus, choice B is the correct answer.

Many vegetables are also high in protein content, but they do not help to restore soil fertility by nitrogen fixation. Thus, Option C is not the correct alternative.

Fruits are good dietary foods, but do not recover soil fertility. Therefore, Option D is also an incorrect option.

Therefore, the correct answer is B

Note:
> Pulse occupies 57,3 million hectares, one-tenth of the area devoted to cereal crops.
> The Global production of pulses are around 40 million tonnes, with an average yield of 0.86 tonnes per hectare compared to cereals which are 3.5 tonnes per hectare.
> Pulses sustain a wide and diverse population of soil species (including microbial populations) and thus promote/enhance soil biodiversity.
> Pulses extract water and nutrients from deep soil through their deep (tap) roots, which minimise the impact of water stress.