Given below are two statements:
Statement (I): Increasing fertilizer rates to maintain yields in weedy fields can be a waste of resources.
Statement (II): Increasing fertilizer rates to give competitive advantage on already weeded plots may sustain the effect of weeding.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
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Fertilizer should always be applied after weeding or placed directly near the crop rows (band placement) to ensure the crop gets the nutrients rather than the weeds.
Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct.
Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are incorrect.
Statement (I) is correct but Statement (II) is incorrect.
Statement (I) is incorrect but Statement (II) is correct.
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The Correct Option isA
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Weeds compete aggressively with crops for essential growth resources: light, water, space, and soil nutrients.
Understanding how nutrient management and weed competition interact is crucial for optimizing fertilizer efficiency. Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate Statement (I):
In fields infested with weeds, simply increasing the fertilizer rate to maintain crop yields is highly inefficient and wasteful.
Weeds generally have more extensive, aggressive root systems and higher nutrient uptake rates than cultivated crops.
Adding more fertilizer in the presence of weeds often feeds the weeds more than the crop, accelerating weed growth and increasing crop suppression.
Thus, Statement (I) is correct.
Let us evaluate Statement (II):
Once a field has been weeded (removing the competitors), applying an optimum rate of fertilizer gives the crop a distinct competitive advantage.
The crop roots can absorb the nutrients without competition, promoting rapid canopy closure and leaf development.
This robust canopy shades out any late-emerging weeds, sustaining the weed-free status of the plot over a longer period.
Thus, Statement (II) is correct. Step 2: Final Answer:
Both Statement (I) and Statement (II) are correct.
