Question

In the recent Global Environmental Summit, a few suggestions on the preventive measures towards soil pollution were putforth:
(i) Introducing crop rotation to reduce damage and diseases by pests and fungi
(ii) Introducing pest resistant genetic strains
(iii) Introducing herbicides and fungicides to prevent crop damage
(iv) Introducing chemical fertilizers for better growth of crop

Which of these suggestions would reduce soil pollution?

• A. i and iv
• B. i, ii and iii
• C. i and ii
• D. ii, iii and iv

Answer 1

The correct option is C i and ii

$\bullet$ The suggestion of incorporating crop rotation and genetically modified plants is advisable since (i) Crop rotation replenishes the soil with nutrients, reduces soil erosion and increases crop yield. (ii) Genetic modification of plants is an approach to make plants resistant to pests and disease causing fungi. Genetic strains increase crop yield and reduce the use of pesticides.
$\bullet$ Herbicides and fungicides not only kill the target species but also destroy the harmless and useful species present in the habitat.
$\bullet$ The major drawback of using chemical fertilizers is that, they include heavy metals like mercury, lead and arsenic that are non-degradable in nature. It gets accumulated in the animals and moves along the food web disrupting the natural flow of the ecosystem.