With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements:
1. A substantial saving in seed material is made when 'bud chip settlings' are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field.
2. When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.
3. If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted, single-budded setts have better survival as compared to large setts.
4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 and 2 only

3 only

1 and 4 only

2, 3 and 4 only

APEDIA

UPSC Prelims

2020 • 04 Oct, 2020 • Paper-1

With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements:
1. A substantial saving in seed material is made when 'bud chip settlings' are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field.
2. When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.
3. If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted, single-budded setts have better survival as compared to large setts.
4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using settlings prepared from tissue culture.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer

1 and 4 only

Material Efficiency: The conventional method requires burying large, heavy stalks of cane. The 'bud chip' technology extracts just the tiny node (eye), signific......

💡 Analysis & Explanation

Material Efficiency ▼

The conventional method requires burying large, heavy stalks of cane. The 'bud chip' technology extracts just the tiny node (eye), significantly reducing the sheer volume and weight of the seed cane required, thus confirming statement 1.

Germination Reality ▼

In direct field planting, a traditional three-budded sett generally displays a superior germination percentage because if one bud fails, the others can compensate. A single-budded sett carries a higher risk of total failure. Statement 2 is incorrect.

Drought Resilience ▼

Larger setts (with 3-4 buds) inherently store much more moisture and structural nutrients, providing critical life-support to the developing shoot during sudden adverse weather. Single buds lack these reserves and suffer higher mortality. Statement 3 is incorrect.

Biotechnological Advances ▼

Micro-propagation through modern tissue culture is a fully realized, commercial practice used to rapidly multiply disease-free, high-yielding sugarcane seedlings on a massive scale. Statement 4 is correct.

Conclusion ▼

Only statements 1 and 4 are scientifically sound practices.

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