Consider the following plants : 1. Groundnut 2. Horse-gram 3. Soybean How many of the above belong to the pea family ?
- (a) Only one
- (b) Only two
- (c) All three ✓ UPSC's answer
- (d) None
Why the answer is (c)
• The pea family, Fabaceae (Leguminosae), includes all plants that bear pods and typically fix nitrogen through root nodules.
• Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a legume whose pods develop underground — it belongs to the pea family.
• Horse-gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum, kulthi) is a hardy pulse of the pea family.
• Soybean (Glycine max) is likewise a legume of the pea family, grown for oil and protein.
• All three belong to Fabaceae, option (c); this is why they are rotated with cereals to restore soil nitrogen.
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Only one
- All three, not one, are legumes.
- (b) Only two
- All three plants are members of Fabaceae.
- (d) None
- Groundnut, horse-gram and soybean are all pea-family plants.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2024, held on 16 June 2024. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.