Question

Match List-I with List-II

List-I (Crops)	List-II (Insect-pest/disease)
(A) Sugarcane	(I) American bollworm
(B) Chickpea	(II) Neck blast
(C) Cotton	(III) Red rot
(D) Rice	(IV) Pod borer

• (A) - (I), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (IV)
• (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)
• (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)
• (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (II), (D) - (I)

Hint:

To remember crop-pest matches easily:
- Sugarcane is synonymous with Red Rot (smells like alcohol).
- Rice is always linked with Blast disease (caused by Pyricularia oryzae).
- Chickpea and Cotton both share Helicoverpa armigera as their primary pest, commonly referred to as Pod Borer in pulses and American Bollworm in fiber crops.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Agricultural crops are vulnerable to specific insect pests and fungal diseases.
Correctly associating each crop with its major biotic constraint is vital for crop protection, clinical diagnosis, and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us match each crop in List-I with its corresponding major pest or disease in List-II:
- (A) Sugarcane: The most devastating disease of sugarcane is Red Rot, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum.
It leads to the reddening of internal pith tissue with characteristic white transverse bands, severely reducing sucrose yield.
Hence, (A) matches with (III).
- (B) Chickpea: The most destructive insect pest of chickpea is the Gram Pod Borer, Helicoverpa armigera.
The larvae feed on leaves during the vegetative phase and later bore into developing pods, causing substantial yield loss.
Hence, (B) matches with (IV).
- (C) Cotton: Cotton is highly susceptible to the American Bollworm, which is also caused by Helicoverpa armigera.
This pest attacks squares, flowers, and bolls, leading to shedding and stained lint.
Hence, (C) matches with (I).
- (D) Rice: Rice blast, caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae, is a major disease.
When the infection occurs at the neck of the panicle, it is termed "neck blast," leading to lodging and unfilled grains.
Hence, (D) matches with (II).
Combining these correct associations, we get: (A)-(III), (B)-(IV), (C)-(I), (D)-(II).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (B).