Question

A system of soil management in which the plants, especially legumes, are grown in perennial grasses without any tillage is

• A. Pod Culture
• B. Broth culture
• C. Culture Medium
• D. Sod Culture

Hint:

"Sod" refers to the upper layer of soil held together by grass roots.
Managing soil by keeping this protective grass layer intact is known as "Sod Culture."

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Soil management systems in orchards, vineyards, and pastures are designed to conserve soil, manage nutrients, and suppress weeds.
These systems range from clean cultivation (frequent tillage) to permanent cover cropping (no tillage).

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Sod culture is a conservation-oriented soil management system where a permanent cover of perennial grasses or legumes is maintained without any tillage.
Instead of leaving the soil bare or plowing it regularly, a permanent cover of vegetation (the sod) is allowed to grow.
In this system, other crops, particularly nitrogen-fixing legumes, are often interseeded directly into the grass cover.
Sod culture offers several key benefits:
- It prevents soil erosion by wind and water, as the dense root system of the sod holds the soil in place.
- It improves soil structure and organic matter content over time.
- It increases water infiltration and helps retain soil moisture.
- It facilitates the movement of heavy machinery in orchards, even during wet periods.
Legumes are often included because they form symbiotic associations with Rhizobium bacteria, which fix atmospheric nitrogen and enrich the soil.
Analyzing the other options:
- Pod culture is a botanical research method for growing plants to study pod development.
- Broth culture and culture medium are laboratory techniques used to grow microorganisms (like bacteria or fungi) in liquid or solid nutrient preparations.
Therefore, the correct term for this soil management system is sod culture.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The tilling-free soil management system where legumes are grown within permanent grasses is sod culture.