Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding biopesticides?
- 1.They are not hazardous to human health.
- 2.They are persistent in environment.
- 3.They are essential to maintain the biodiversity of any ecosystem.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) 1 only
Botanical pesticides are described as safer to the user, breaking down into harmless compounds and reducing human health hazards, so statement 1 fits. They break down within hours or days, so they are not persistent, and the passage never calls them essential for biodiversity.
- ✓ 1. They are 'safer to the user', break down into 'harmless compounds' and reduce 'human health hazards'.
- ✗ 2. The reverse: they break down within hours or days; it is synthetic pesticides that are persistent.
- ✗ 3. They 'help in the maintenance' of the diversity of predators; 'essential' for 'any ecosystem' is far stronger than the passage.
Remember · Watch for statements that transfer a property of one of the two things compared to the other — persistence belongs to synthetics here.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·