Question

Arrange the following crops on the basis of their yield (q/ha) in the ascending order:
(A) Chickpea
(B) Pigeon pea
(C) Wheat
(D) Sugarcane
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D).
• B. (A), (B), (D), (C).
• C. (B), (C), (A), (D).
• D. (B), (A), (C), (D).

Hint:

- Legumes (Pigeon pea, Chickpea) have lower yields than cereals (Wheat) due to the higher bio-energetic cost of protein and lipid synthesis.
- Sugarcane, as a high-biomass $C_{4}$ crop, has much higher yields than $C_{3}$ crops.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Crop yield is typically measured in quintals per hectare ($\text{q/ha}$, where $1\text{ q} = 100\text{ kg}$).
Yields vary widely depending on the crop's genetic potential, photosynthetic efficiency ($C_{3}$ vs $C_{4}$ pathway), water requirement, and duration.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us compare the average national yields of these four crops in India:
- (B) Pigeon pea (Arhar):
Being a long-duration rainfed legume susceptible to wilt and insect pests, its national average yield is relatively low, typically around 8 to 10 q/ha.
- (A) Chickpea (Gram):
A Rabi legume with a shorter growth duration, its national average yield is slightly higher, typically around 10 to 12 q/ha.
- (C) Wheat:
An irrigated Rabi cereal crop with a high harvest index, its national average yield is around 33 to 35 q/ha (ranging up to 50 q/ha in progressive regions).
- (D) Sugarcane:
A heavy-biomass, long-duration $C_{4}$ perennial grass, sugarcane yields are measured in tonnes. The national average yield is around 70 to 80 tonnes per hectare, which corresponds to 700 to 800 q/ha.
Arranging these yields in ascending order (lowest to highest):
\[ \text{Pigeon pea (B)} < \text{Chickpea (A)} < \text{Wheat (C)} < \text{Sugarcane (D)} \]
This corresponds to the sequence: (B), (A), (C), (D).

Step 3: Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct ascending order is (B), (A), (C), (D).