What is the use of biochar in farming ?
- 1.Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming.
- 2.When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms.
- 3.When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it enables the growing medium to retain water for longer time.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Show answer
Answer: D. Biochar is charcoal made from plant waste. It can be part of soilless growing media in vertical farming, it provides a home for microbes including nitrogen-fixers, and its porous structure holds water for longer. So all three.
Watch for: Students think biochar is only for open fields and drop the vertical farming statement.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because biochar also helps the medium retain water.
- B. Wrong because statements 1 and 3 are also correct.
- C. Wrong because biochar also supports nitrogen-fixing microbes.
Source to check: ICAR publications on biochar; International Biochar Initiative (biochar-international.org)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.