Question

Given below are two statements:
Statement I : Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is a deep rooted, drought resistant soil improving crop, grown under rainfed conditions on practically all types of soils
Statement II : Cool and bright sunny weather during flowering and ripening is needed for good setting and development of pods
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

• A. Both Statement I and Statement II are true
• B. Both Statement I and Statement II are false
• C. Statement I is correct but Statement II is false
• D. Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is True

Hint:

Pigeonpea has deep taproots, tolerates drought, enriches soil, and requires clear sunny weather during pod filling.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Pigeonpea (Redgram Arhar, Cajanus cajan) is a prominent semi-arid tropical pulse crop with extensive root systems.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. Statement I is TRUE: Pigeonpea develops an extensive, deep-penetrating taproot system ($> 2\,\text{m}$) capable of extracting moisture and subsoil nutrients under drought conditions, while fixing atmospheric nitrogen and improving soil physical structure across varied soil types.
2. Statement II is TRUE: Clear, sunny, cool, and dry weather during anthesis, pollination, and ripening promotes flower retention, bee activity, high pod set, and uniform seed filling, whereas cloudy and humid conditions promote flower drop and pod borer infestation.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Thus, both Statement I and Statement II are true.