Plant: Economic Importance

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Q20. What is the main textile fibre crop of India among these choices?

[WBCS Executive Prelims (2023) — 2023]

1. Jute
2. Cotton
3. Flax
4. Sesame

Answer: (B) Cotton

Explanation: Cotton is a major commercial fibre crop supplying India’s textile sector. Its lint is made of seed hairs that are processed into yarn and fabrics. Jute is another important natural fibre, but cotton has a broader role in textile manufacturing.

Q19. Which one of these crops is normally grown during the kharif season?

[SSC CHSL Tier-I — 2023]

1. Gram
2. Mustard
3. Wheat
4. Cotton

Answer: (D) Cotton

Explanation: Cotton is generally cultivated during the warm monsoon-associated kharif season in much of India. Gram, mustard and wheat are commonly treated as rabi crops. Kharif and rabi groupings reflect rainfall, temperature and typical sowing schedules.

Q18. Industries using cotton, jute, tea, sugar, coffee and edible oil as raw materials are classified as what?

[SSC CHSL Tier-I — 2023]

1. Key industries
2. Consumer industries
3. Agro-based industries
4. Mineral-based industries

Answer: (C) Agro-based industries

Explanation: These industries draw their raw materials mainly from agricultural crops or plant products. Examples include textile mills, sugar factories, tea processing and vegetable-oil extraction. They are therefore agro-based industries rather than mineral-dependent manufacturing industries.

Q17. Which district ranked first in cotton production in Madhya Pradesh during 2020–21, according to the paper?

[MPPSC State Service Prelims — 2023]

1. Damoh
2. Khargone
3. Mandla
4. Panna

Answer: (B) Khargone

Explanation: Khargone was identified as the leading cotton-producing district for the specified 2020–21 period. Cotton is an important cash crop in the Nimar region. The question concerns a dated district-level agricultural statistic rather than a permanent ranking.

Q16. Which industry is especially concentrated on the banks of the Hooghly River?

[RRB Group D — 2022]

1. Sugar industry
2. Dairy industry
3. Iron-ore industry
4. Jute industry

Answer: (D) Jute industry

Explanation: The Hooghly basin became a major centre of jute mills because raw jute was available nearby. River water, port access, transport networks and a labour force encouraged industrial growth. Jute mills produce bags, ropes, cloth and other fibre goods.

Q15. Which state and plantation crop are correctly matched?

[UPPSC Combined State Prelims — 2022]

1. Gujarat — Tea
2. Uttar Pradesh — Jute
3. Kerala — Rubber
4. Assam — Wheat

Answer: (C) Kerala — Rubber

Explanation: Kerala has long been an important natural-rubber growing state, benefiting from a warm, wet tropical climate. Natural rubber is harvested mainly from latex-producing trees, particularly Hevea brasiliensis. Tea is strongly associated with Assam rather than Gujarat.

Q14. Which of the following is not a natural acid–base indicator?

[RRB Group D — 2022]

1. Turmeric
2. Hydrangea petal extract
3. Petunia petal extract
4. Methyl orange

Answer: (D) Methyl orange

Explanation: Turmeric pigments and some coloured flower extracts respond to changing acidity and can serve as natural indicators. Methyl orange is a synthetic indicator used in laboratory chemistry. This practical application demonstrates an economic and educational use of plant pigments.

Q13. Which plant fibre is popularly called the golden fibre?

[RRB NTPC CBT-I — 2021]

1. Mustard
2. Sandalwood
3. Wheat
4. Jute

Answer: (D) Jute

Explanation: Jute is called the golden fibre because of its characteristic sheen and historical commercial value. The fibre is extracted from the stems of Corchorus plants. It is widely used to manufacture sacks, twine, mats and biodegradable packaging materials.

Q12. Which crop is associated with the growing seasons Aus, Aman and Boro?

[UPSC CDS General Knowledge — 2021]

1. Wheat
2. Rice
3. Pulses
4. Cotton

Answer: (B) Rice

Explanation: Aus, Aman and Boro are seasonal categories of rice cultivation, especially in eastern India and Bangladesh. They differ in sowing, water availability and harvest periods. Their existence shows how one economically vital crop is adapted to different local cropping calendars.

Q11. Which state was the largest producer of raw jute in India in 2018–19?

[SSC CHSL 2020 paper — 2020]

1. West Bengal
2. Nagaland
3. Rajasthan
4. Bihar

Answer: (A) West Bengal

Explanation: West Bengal led raw-jute production in the specified 2018–19 period. The crop grows well in the warm, wet alluvial plains of eastern India. The state’s jute mills convert fibres into sacks, textiles and other commercially valuable products.