Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Red Cotton Bug (*Dysdercus cingulatus*) is an economic pest of cotton that damages fiber quality by staining it and feeding on mature seeds.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the pest's biology and management:
- Reason R: The female red cotton bug deposits its eggs in loose soil, under leaf litter, or in soil crevices. This is biologically correct.
- Assertion A: Because the eggs are laid in or on the soil surface, applying appropriate soil-active insecticides or dusts (such as Carbaryl) directly to the soil or raking the soil helps destroy the egg masses and newly hatched nymphs before they can climb onto the cotton plants. This is a highly effective control measure.
Therefore, both the Assertion and the Reason are correct, and the biological egg-laying habit of the pest is the direct reason why soil treatment works.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Both statements are correct, making Option (A) the correct choice.