Consider the following crops of India:
- Cowpea
- Green gram
- Pigeon pea
Which of the above is/are used as pulse, fodder and green manure?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2012 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
- Cowpea, also known as Kharif crop, is cultivated in India for its seeds, green pods, fodder, and organic manure. The crop has two varieties, namely Pusa Phalguni and Pura Barsati, and is grown in a variety of soils, including sandy and loam soils.
- Green gram, commonly known as “Moong Dal” in India, is a small, green, circular-shaped bean. It is a significant pulse crop in India, providing protein requirements for the vegetarian population. Green gram is cultivated in various soils, such as black cotton soils in North India, red laterite soils in South India, and sandy soils in Rajasthan.
- Pigeon pea, scientifically known as Cajanus Cajan, is a Kharif crop sown with the onset of Monsoon in various agro-climatic zones of India. It is a popular source of protein in a vegetarian diet and is commonly known as Arhar or red gram in India. The fresh young pods of the pigeon pea plant are eaten as a vegetable in regions where it grows, while the split dried seeds are used as a lentil in dishes such as sambar (lentil soup).
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.
