Question : Comprehension: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. The strain, Tropical Race 4 (TR4), was first identified in Taiwan and has jumped from Asia to the Middle East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America. Scientists are describing it as the equivalent of Covid-19 in bananas. As the coronavirus disease outbreak rages on, 'fusarium wilt TR4', a novel fungus strain that has devastated plantations across the globe this year, is setting up new hotspots and threatening output in India, the world's largest producer of bananas. It cripples plantations by first attacking the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away. There is no effective remedy yet. "One could say it is the Covid-19 of the plant world. Hotspots have been found in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which we are trying to contain," said S. Uma, the director of National Research Centre for Bananas (NRCB), Trichy.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, TR4 is one of the 'the most destructive of all plant diseases'. As with Covid-19, there is no treatment yet. So, scientists recommend biosecurity measures including 'plant quarantine' to slow its spread. The spreading disease has jeopardised the $26 billion global banana trade.
A healthy snack, banana is the world's most globally exported fruit, according to the FAO. That's a reason for worry as the disease is breaching borders through imports.
India produces 27 million tonnes of bananas annually and grows about 100 varieties. TR4 has infected the most commonly sold variety, the one you mostly likely have for breakfast: Grand Nain a curvy yellow fruit.
inability to contain TR4 could jolt farm incomes and push up banana prices. One medium banana (126 gms) provides about 110 calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams sugar (naturally occurring), 3 grams fibre 450 mg potassium and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6, according to the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition.
Most of India's bananas are consumed domestically. Equador, the largest exporter, is currently the epicentre and scientists haven't been able to ascertain how TR4 entered India. Fusarium wilt is not new. It entirely wiped out Gros Michel, the dominant export variety of bananas in 1950s. It was in response to this that a new resistant variety, Grand Nain, came up. That has now fallen to TR4. The challenge is to now identify or develop new resistant varieties. That's the only way to manage it, according to Uma, until an effective agent is found.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is advocating a set of measures, known as 'biopriming'. It has asked farmers whose plantations have been affected to abandon them. They must grow rice for a year or two before returning to banana. "That way the chain is broken," said R Selvarajan, a scientist with the NRCB.
Question: 'Biopriming', a measure suggested by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, requires:
Option 1: identifying hotspots and quarantining them
Option 2: trimming the diseased banana plants
Option 3: quarantining banana plants
Option 4: abandoning banana plantations and growing rice for a year
New: SSC Stenographer Application Form 2024 Released
Don't Miss: Month-wise current affairs
Suggested: Upcoming government exams
Correct Answer: abandoning banana plantations and growing rice for a year
Solution : The correct choice is the fourth option.
Explanation: Biopriming, as suggested by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, requires farmers with affected plantations to abandon them and grow rice for a year or two before replanting bananas.
This break in cultivation helps to disrupt the disease cycle of Tropical Race 4 (TR4).
Therefore, biopriming, a measure suggested by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, requires abandoning banana plantations and growing rice for a year.
Application | Eligibility | Dates | Syllabus
Question : Comprehension: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. The strain, Tropical Race 4 (TR4), was first identified in Taiwan, and has jumped from Asia to the Middle East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America. Scientists are describing it as the equivalent of Covid-19 in bananas. As the coronavirus disease outbreak rages on, 'fusarium wilt TR4', a novel fungus strain that has devastated plantations across the globe this year, is setting up new hotspots and threatening output in India, the world's largest producer of bananas. It cripples plantations by first attacking the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away. There is no effective remedy yet. "One could say it is the Covid-19 of the plant world. Hotspots have been found in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which we are trying to contain," said S. Uma, the director of National Research Centre for Bananas (NRCB), Trichy.
A healthy snack, banana is the world's most globally exported fruit, according to the FAO. That's a reason for worry as the disease is breaching borders through imports. India produces 27 million tonnes of bananas annually and grows about 100 varieties. TR4 has infected the most commonly sold variety, the one you mostly likely have for breakfast: Grand Nain a curvy yellow fruit.
Inability to contain TR4 could jolt farm incomes and push up banana prices. One medium banana (126 gms) provides about 110 calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams sugar (naturally occurring), 3 grams fibre and 450 mg potassium and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6, according to the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition.
Question: The main theme of the passage is:
Option 1: the measures for containing the banana disease
Option 2: the nutritious value of bananas
Option 3: the impact of disease on banana plantations
Option 4: the outbreak of a COVID-19-like disease in bananas
Question : Comprehension: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. The strain, Tropical Race 4 (TR4), was first identified in Taiwan. and has jumped from Asia to the Middle East and Africa, reaching as far as Latin America. Scientists are describing it as the equivalent of Covid-19 in bananas. As the coronavirus disease outbreak rages on, 'fusarium wilt TR4', a novel fungus strain that has devastated plantations across the globe this year, is setting up new hotspots and threatening output in India, the world's largest producer of bananas. It cripples plantations by first attacking the leaves, which turn yellow from their trailing edges before wilting away. There is no effective remedy yet. "One could say it is the Covid-19 of the plant world. Hotspots have been found in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which we are trying to contain," said S. Uma, the director of National Research Centre for Bananas (NRCB), Trichy.
According to the FAO, a healthy snack, banana is the world's most globally exported fruit. That's a reason for worry as the disease is breaching borders through imports.
inability to contain TR4 could jolt farm incomes and push up banana prices. One medium banana (126 gms) provides about 110 calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram of protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams sugar (naturally occurring), 3 grams of fibre 450 mg potassium, and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6, according to the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition.
Most of India's bananas are consumed domestically. Equador, the largest exporter, is currently the epicentre and scientists haven't been able to ascertain how TR4 entered India. Fusarium wilt is not new. It entirely wiped out Gros Michel, the dominant export variety of bananas in 1950s. It was in response to this that a new resistant variety, Grand Nain, came up. That has now fallen to TR4. The challenge is to identify now or develop new resistant varieties. That's the only way to manage it, according to Uma, until an effective agent is found.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research advocates a set of measures, known as 'biopriming'. It has asked farmers whose plantations have been affected to abandon them. They must grow rice for a year or two before returning to banana. "That way the chain is broken," said R Selvarajan, a scientist with the NRCB.
Question: Which place is the current epicentre of TR4?
Option 1: India
Option 2: Taiwan
Option 3: Middle East
Option 4: Equador
India produces 27 million tonnes of bananas annually and grows about 100 varieties. TR4 has infected the most commonly sold variety, the one you mostly likely have for breakfast: Grand Nain a curvy yellow fruit. inability to contain TR4 could jolt farm incomes and push up banana prices. One medium banana (126 gms) provides about 110 calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams of sugar (naturally occurring), 3 grams of fibre 450 mg potassium and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6, according to the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition.
Question: The calorific value of a medium-sized banana is 110 and it is richest in:
Option 1: fibre
Option 2: carbohydrate
Option 3: protein
Option 4: potassium
inability to contain TR4 could jolt farm incomes and push up banana prices. One medium banana (126 gms) provides about 110 calories, 0 gram fat, 1 gram protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams sugar (naturally occurring), 3 grams of fibre 450 mg of potassium and trace quantities of vitamin C and B6, according to the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition.
Question: After reading this passage it can be said that it is:
Option 1: a narrative
Option 2: a technical report
Option 3: a news report
Option 4: an epilogue
Question : Directions: The houses of five persons A, B, C, D and E are situated in such a way that A's house is 60 m to the north of E's house. D's house is 30 m to the west of E's house. B's house is 60 m to the north of C's house. C's house is 30 m to the west of D's house. In which direction is B's house with reference to A's house?
Option 1: East
Option 2: West
Option 3: North
Option 4: South
Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile