निम्नलिखित में से कौन-सा कथन, परिच्छेद द्वारा संप्रेषित सर्वाधिक तर्कसंगत, विवेकपूर्ण और व्यावहारिक संदेश को सर्वोत्तम रूप से दर्शाता है?
Read this question in English
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and practical message conveyed by the passage?
(a) Farmers can use caterpillars to feed on weeds in their crop fields/plantations. · (b) This finding can help in the development of clinically useful antimicrobial compounds. · (c) This finding can help in the development of organic, ecologically sustainable pesticides. · (d) Caterpillars can be genetically modified to be predators of the other plant pests.
उत्तर और व्याख्या · explanation in English
Answer: (c) यह खोज जैविक, पारिस्थितिक रूप से संधारणीय पीड़कनाशी दवाइयों (पेस्टिसाइड) के विकास में सहायता कर सकती है।
The passage shows that caterpillar frass switches off a plant’s defences, and says the find could throw light on compounds linked to how plants respond to pathogens. The practical message is that understanding these natural compounds can help develop organic, ecologically sound ways to protect crops.
- ✗ (a) The caterpillars feed on corn, a crop; nothing suggests using them against weeds.
- ✗ (b) The compounds concern how plants respond to pathogens; ‘clinically useful’ medicines for people go well beyond the passage.
- ✓ (c) Knowing the natural compounds that turn plant defences off (and on) can guide the development of organic, ecologically sustainable products to protect crops from pests and pathogens.
- ✗ (d) Genetic modification of caterpillars is not suggested anywhere.
Remember · Choose the application that stays within the passage’s field (plants, pests, crop protection); avoid jumps to medicine or genetic engineering.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2024, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·