Which of the following practices can help in water conservation in agriculture?
- Reduced or zero tillage of the land
- Applying gypsum before irrigating the field
- Allowing crop residue to remain in the field
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2017 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
- To minimize water stress and improve water resources, various methods can be employed.
- One such method is using surface residue covers to increase infiltration and reduce runoff, as this reduces the ability of rainwater to disintegrate soil aggregates and detach fine particles.
- Another effective method is using impermeable and permeable contour barriers at discrete intervals downslope, combined with reduced or zero tillage. These methods help in conservation agriculture.
- Additionally, incorporating lime without or with gypsum can reduce toxic concentrations of aluminium and/or manganese, enabling deeper rooting, increasing productivity, and aiding in water conservation.
- However, according to the official UPSC answer key, only statements 1 and 3 are correct, implying that statement 2 is incorrect.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.
