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The correct answer is Saanen

Key Points 

• Saanen is a dairy goat that originated in Switzerland in the Saanen Valley. It is famous for its high production and persistence of yield and is known as the Queen of milk in the goat world.
• Nubian goats are called Anglo-Nubian in British (U.K) breed of domestic goat.
• The Kanni breed known locally as Pullaiadu and Karapuadu. is the tallest goat breed found in Tamil Nadu, India.
• The Kodi goat of southern Tamil Nadu, India, is raised mainly for meat, with skin as an important by-product.
• The Boer or Boerbok is a South African breed of meat goat​

Important Points

The correct answer is 535.78 million

Key Points

• Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying released the 20^th Livestock Census in 2019.

The following are the key results of the 20^th Livestock Census:

• The total Livestock population is 535.78 million in the country showing an increase of 4.6% over Livestock Consus 2012
• The total Bovine population (Cattle, Buffalo, Mithun, and Yak) is 302.79 million in 2019 which shows an increase of about 1% over the previous census.
• The total number of cattle in the country in 2019 is 192.49 million showing an increase of 0.8% over the previous Census.
• The Female Cattle (cows population) is 145.12 million, an increase of 18.0% over the previous census (2012).

The correct answer is Tiger Prawn

Key Points

• Brackish water is water that is saltier than freshwater, but not as salty as seawater.
• Brackish water prawn farming started in a big way in India during 1991-1994, particularly in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• Penaeus monodon and Penaeus indicus are the two most commonly considered species for Brackish water prawn farming.
• Among the Penaeus monodon species, Tiger Prawn is the highest priority brackish water fish having a high growth rate and can tolerate fluctuations in temperature.

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Additional Information

The correct answer is Twenty or more persons are employed.

Key Points

  The Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provision Act 1952 applies to

• Industries employing 20 and more.
• For theatres employing 5 and more.
• And other industries mentioned in Schedule I of the EPF Act.

Important Points

 Important Features of the Act

• Once the act is applied to an establishment it shall remain applicable even if the number of an employed person falls below twenty.
• It applies to all the employees whose Wages (Basic + DA) is less than 15000 per month.
• The act and schemes framed thereunder have been structured as self-applying and the employers are responsible to report the compliance of their own.
• The Schemes framed under it are

1. Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme 1952.
2. Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) Scheme 1976.
3. Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995.

• The aim of these schemes is to inculcate among workers a spirit of saving and encourage employees to save a portion of their present earning for the future.
• EPF Scheme deals with retirement savings.
• EPS Scheme deals with a post-retirement pension.
• And EDLI Scheme deals with relief to family members in case of sudden death.
• Benefits of the Act

1. Tax-free savings with interest rate at 8% plus.
2. If you withdraw you’re PF after 5 years or after maturity then you are not liable for any tax.
3. Postretirement benefits with full EPF and EPF for a minimum of 10 years’ service.
4. In emergencies such as death, marriage, loan you can withdraw your PF fund.
5. In case of loss of income due to unemployment and if you are unable to find a new job for two months then you can withdraw your PF.
6. EDLI scheme provides relief to family members in case of sudden death.
7. With Universal Account Number (UAN) now you can transfer EPF from your old to new employer easily.

• Contribution rates are divided between employee and employer and they are as following

1. An employee contributes 12% to the EPF account.
2. Whereas the Employer contributes 13.15% into EPF, EPS, and EDLI.
3. Also, 0.65% of the 13.15% are charged as EPF admin charges with a minimum of 500 charges. They are paid by the employer
4. When an employee is 58 plus of age then his EPS contribution is moved to EPF.

• There are some businesses where employee contribution rate is 10% instead of 12% and employers contribution is also less, they are

1. They are businesses with voluntary coverage with less than 20 employee strength.
2. Sick businesses.
3. A business where financial year loss is greater than or equal to net worth.
4. Jute, Coir, Brick, Guar gram.

• There is a provision of the Central Board and Central Provident Fund Commissioner is the CEO of the board.
• Dispute settlement for the parties is as provided in the Industrial Dispute Act of 1947.

The correct answer is 4.

Key PointsFloor space requirements:

The correct answer is Powdery mildew.

Key Points

Powdery mildew

• Powdery mildew is a plant disease of worldwide occurrence that causes a powdery growth on the surface of leaves, buds, young shoots, fruits, and flowers.
• Powdery mildew is caused by many specialized races of fungal species in the genera:  Erysiphe, Microsphaera, Phyllactinia, Podosphaera, Sphaerotheca, and Uncinula.
• Hundreds of species of trees, shrubs, vines, flowers, vegetables, fruits, grasses, field crops, and weeds can be affected by powdery mildew.

Important Points

Causes and Symptoms of Powdery mildew:

• The white powdery appearance is due to large numbers of microscopic spores (conidia) borne in chains.
• These wind-borne spores uniquely do not require free water for germination and infection. New conidia can be produced every 3 to 14 days.
• If the disease is severe, the mildewed plant parts may be stunted and distorted. Leaves commonly turn yellow and wither, flowers are distorted or fewer in number, and fruit yield and quality are reduced.
• Mildew is most severe in crowded, shady, poorly aerated locations when nights are cool and days are warm.

Management of Powdery mildew:

• Sulfur dust is effective against many powdery mildews but should not be applied in hot weather.
• A number of other organic treatments, including copper-based fungicides, baking soda solutions, and neem oil, have also proven effective.
• Planting resistant varieties, staking plants to improve air circulation, removing diseased plant parts, and sterilizing contaminated gardening shears can prevent or reduce the spread of the disease.

The correct answer is Euryhaline.

Key Points

Euryhaline

• These organisms are able to adapt to a wide range of salinities.
• Molly is an example of euryhaline fish, it can live in freshwater, brackish water, or salt water.
• The green crab is an example of a euryhaline invertebrate that can live in salt and brackish water.

Important Points

Estuarine:

• It is the scientific study of the characteristic life processes of living organisms found in a semi-enclosed coastal body of water that has a connection with the open sea and within which seawater is measurably diluted with freshwater
• An estuary is an area where a freshwater river or stream meets the ocean.

Oligohaline

• Oligohaline conditions are defined as salt concentrations between 0.5 and 5 ppt,
• These are the organisms that are tolerant of only a moderate range of salinities,
• They prefer brackish water with a salinity of 0.5 to 3.0 (or 5.0) ppt from ocean-derived salts,
• They live in seawater having a salinity of 17 to 30ppt.

Stenohaline

• These are the organisms that can survive within a narrow range of salinity. They are cannot tolerate the rapid changes in salt concentration.
• Examples: Goldfish, sea turtles, haddock, and many other marine organisms

The correct answer is Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana 

Key Points

• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana is an elaborated component of Soil Health Management (SHM) of the major project National Mission of Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
• Launched in 2015
• Under PKVY, Organic farming is promoted through the adoption of the organic village by cluster approach and Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification.
• The funding pattern under the scheme is in the ratio of 60:40 by the Central and State Governments respectively.
• In the case of North Eastern and the Himalayan States, Central Assistance is provided in the ratio of 90:10
• Fifty or more farmers will form a cluster having 50-acre land to take up organic farming under the scheme.
• There will be no liability on the farmers for expenditure on certification.
• Every farmer will be provided Rs. 20,000 per acre in three years for the seed harvesting of crops and transporting produce to the market.
• The produce will be pesticide residue free and will contribute to improving the health of the consumer.

Implementation of the programme:

• PKVY is being implemented by the Organic Farming cell of the Integrated Nutrient Management (Division) of the Department of Agriculture; Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW)
• At the State level, the State Department of Agriculture and Cooperation has been implementing the scheme with the involvement of Regional Councils that are registered under the PGS- India Certification Programme
• At the district level, the Regional Councils (RCs) within the district anchor the implementation of PKVY.

The correct answer is Vitamin A.

Key Points

Golden rice

• Golden rice is a genetically modified bio-fortified variety of rice crops.
• It was developed in the late 1990s by German scientists Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer.
• It is a new type of rice that contains beta carotene (provitamin A a plant pigment that the body converts into vitamin A).
• Beta carotene compound gives a yellow-orange or golden colour to rice, hence its name “Golden Rice”.
• Beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A when metabolized by the human body.
• It was developed mainly to combat vitamin A deficiency, the leading cause of childhood blindness.

The rules were issued under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The new regulation states that cattle bought cannot be resold within six months. It also states that young and unfit animals cannot be traded. It demands that anyone buying cattle needs to give an undertaking that animals are bought for agricultural purposes and not slaughter.