Plants : Economic Importance – Old Year Questions

• Indian gooseberry fruits have lots of healing power and contain lots of vitamin C.
• Different varieties of this fruit such as Kanchan, Krishna and Banarasi have been developed.

• Ratna is an Indian mango type that is grown in Maharashtra and some regions of Karnataka. It is a mix of Alphonso and Neelam mangoes and is known for producing a lot of fruit.

• The leaves of the Parthenium hysterophorus plant have important healing qualities, including the ability to fight cancer.

• Litmus is a mixture of dyes taken from lichens that can be dissolved in water. It is often put onto filter paper to make a type of pH indicator that is very old, and used to find out if a material is acidic or basic.

• Neem oil is a traditional medicine that is used to treat skin diseases, act as a repellent, and kill bacteria and fungi.
• It contains a substance called azadirachtin which has insect-killing properties. Neem methyl ester (bio-diesel) can be made from neem oil and methanol using a two-step process.
• All three statements are correct, but option (c) is the answer according to the UPSC Answer Key.

• Aloe vera is often used in skin care products because it has antiviral and antibacterial qualities.
• It can also help with health issues like constipation and diabetes.
• Sugarcane gives us sugar, cotton gives us natural fibers, and mahua provides flowers used for food and to make wine. Mahua also has seeds that produce vegetable oil.

• Tulsi, also known as Ocimum tenuiflorum or Holy basil, is a type of plant from the Lamiaceae family.
• It has many useful components in its leaves, such as antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
• Its leaves also contain various secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids and phenols, which add to its medicinal properties.

• Tulsi, also known as Ocimum tenuiflorum (or Ocimum sanctum), is an aromatic plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family.
• The leaves contain a range of important components with antiseptic, pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
• These components, like flavonoids, saponins, glycoside, terpenoid and phenol, make the tulsi leaf extract very medicinal.

• Palm oil is made from two types of palm trees called oil palms. The African oil palm is the main source of oil used for commercial agriculture.
• It is found in Africa between Angola and Gambia. The American oil palm is found in Central and South America. Palm oil has more saturated fats than other oils, so it can withstand high temperatures and resist oxidation.
• It is also found in many products like lipstick and ice cream. It is used for its moisturising properties and to make perfumes and deodorants more effective. Palm oil is also used for biofuel.

• The National Policy on Biofuels-2018 in India states that there are different types of raw materials that can be used for producing biofuels.
• These include things like molasses, sugarcane juice, biomass, and various other substances. Additionally, non-edible oilseeds, used cooking oil, animal tallow, and acid oil can be used for biodiesel.
• Finally, for advanced biofuels, biomass, industrial waste, and plastic waste can be used. Groundnut seeds or horse gram were not mentioned in this policy document.

• Canola oil is a type of edible oil that was bred naturally from rapeseed at the University of Manitoba in Canada in the early 1970s.
• It is safe to consume because it has a very low level of eurisic acid. Canola oil also has a low amount of saturated fat and contains both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, according to the USDA.
• It contains 7% saturated fat, 64% monounsaturated fat and 28% polyunsaturated fat.

• Moringa oleifera, also known as the drumstick tree or horseradish tree, is native to India but is grown in many tropical and subtropical regions.
• It can survive both droughts and light frost and is cultivated for its young seed pods and leaves, which are used as vegetables and in traditional medicine.
• Moringa products have a large market in North America, Europe, Gulf countries, and China. In 2020-21, China procured large amounts of Moringa seeds from India.
• The seeds can also be used for making biofuel. Tamarind, or Tamarindus indica, is a hardwood tree native to Africa but found in many other tropical regions, and in India is harvested as a minor forest product.
• Tamarind seeds are used to make biodiesel. Therefore, statements 1 and 2 are incorrect while statements 3, 4, and 5 are correct.

• The ‘Pongam Tree’ is a really vibrant and prosperous tree that grows in India. Its scientific name is ‘Pongamia pinnata’.
• Red oil from the tree’s seeds can be used to treat skin conditions. Additionally, this oil can be used as bio-diesel.

• The Petro-crops are plants which produce fuel-like substances like bio-diesel.
• These crops have lots of hydrocarbons and fats. An example of a petro-crop is a plant called Jatropha.

• A biodiesel facility was set up in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, making it India’s first of its kind.

• Jatropha Curcas is seen as a potential source for making biodiesel in the future. It is a type of flowering plant that can grow in tough conditions and uses very little water.
• The seeds of this plant are used to create biodiesel, which is becoming popular for its environmental advantages and because it is made from renewable sources.

• Jatropha Curcas is seen as a potential source for making biodiesel in the future. It is a type of flowering plant that can grow in tough conditions and uses very little water.
• The seeds of this plant are used to create biodiesel, which is becoming popular for its environmental advantages and because it is made from renewable sources.

• Jatropha Curcas is seen as a potential source for making biodiesel in the future. It is a type of flowering plant that can grow in tough conditions and uses very little water.
• The seeds of this plant are used to create biodiesel, which is becoming popular for its environmental advantages and because it is made from renewable sources.

• Sugarcane ethanol is a type of alcohol that is made from the juice and molasses of sugarcane.
• It is a clean, low-cost and eco-friendly fuel, making it a popular option for vehicles.

• Molasses from the juice of sugarcane is a great option for making power alcohol.

• Chilgoza is a type of pine, whose scientific name is Pinus gerardiana. It has a high content of carbohydrates and proteins, and comes from the seeds of the pine tree.

• Neem is the main source of mosquito repellent and is also known for its medicinal qualities. Medicines are made from its seeds and leaves.
• Basil and turmeric have antibiotic qualities and lemons are a great source of vitamin C.

• Brahmi is also known as jalnimb and usually grows in wet areas. It is a type of medicine that helps with anxiety and can be used to treat mental health issues.
• Pudina aids with digestion, reduces gas, gets rid of aches and pains, and helps with coughs and colds.
• Tulsi, also known as ‘Ocimum tenuiforum’, is a type of plant that has a lot of benefits, such as helping keep skin clear and dissolving kidney stones, as well as removing coughs.
• Sadabahar is a plant that can be found any time of the year and has been found to be useful in treating diabetes.

• Cocoa is a drink made from the beans of the Cacao plant, which is part of the Sterculiaceae family.
• The roasted beans contain fat (cocoa butter), starch, protein, and minerals. It has a stimulating effect due to the presence of theobronine and a small amount of caffeine.

• Caffeine is a chemical that exists naturally in certain plants. It is in things like coffee, tea, cocoa, cola, and other soft drinks.
• It acts as a stimulant, making people feel more awake and focused. Too much of it can make people feel anxious and have trouble sleeping.

• Caffeine is the most popular drug or stimulant that affects the brain and nervous system. It comes from tea leaves and coffee beans.

• Seaweed is an algae that grows in salty water and needs sunlight to survive, like land plants.
• There are more than 10,000 types of seaweed, a lot of which are edible. Seaweed is known for being the best natural source of iodine.

• Camphor is a wax-like, flammable substance with a strong smell. It comes from the wood of the camphor laurel tree in Asia or the Kapur tree.
• Chicory is a woody plant with bright blue flowers that is grown for salads. The root powder is used to reduce the bitterness of coffee.
• Vanilla has a special taste and comes from certain orchids, mainly from the Mexican flatleaved kind.

• Kuttu four comes from the Buckwheat plant (Fagopyrum esculentum). It is grown for its seed-like grains and also used as a type of crop.
• Buckwheat is not related to wheat, as it is not a type of grass. Instead, it is related to sorrel, knotweed and rhubarb. It is called a pseudocereal because its seeds are eaten.

• Saffron is a spice made from the Crocus sativus flower, also known as the saffron crocus. This plant grows to be 8-12 inches tall and has four flowers with bright red stigmas.
• These stigmas, also known as threads, are dried and used as a flavoring and coloring in food. Saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices by weight.

• Peppermint oil is made by taking peppermint leaves and distilling them with steam. Its scientific name is Mentha arrensis.
• It has a lot of natural pesticides in it and is made up of mostly menthol (40.7%) and menthone (23.4%).

• Asafoetida (Heeng) is a dried sap taken from certain types of plants in the Umbelliferae family.
• It is harvested from the root of the plant and is used to help digestion, as a flavoring in cooking and in pickling.

Opium comes from the milky sap of the Papaver somniferum plant. Hing is usually gotten from the roots of a Ferula plant. Rubber is taken from the liquid that comes out of a plant’s stem and quinine is taken from the bark of the cinchona tree.

• Asafoetida, also known as “Heeng”, is a dried, gum-like substance that comes from the stems and roots of a special type of plant from the Umbelliferae family.
• It is used as a spice and is mainly found in Afghanistan and Iran. Option (b) was the correct answer to this question according to the UPPSC’s first answer key.

• Quinine is a well-known medicine used to treat malaria. It is taken from the bark of the cinchona tree, which is a type of flowering plant.
• It has a white crystalline form and has a bitter taste. It is also used to treat diseases related to arthritis and prions.

• Quinine is a well-known medicine used to treat malaria. It is taken from the bark of the cinchona tree, which is a type of flowering plant.
• It has a white crystalline form and has a bitter taste. It is also used to treat diseases related to arthritis and prions.

• Quinine is a medicine used to treat malaria. It is taken from the bark of a cinchona tree, which is a type of flowering plant.
• Quinine is a white, crystalline substance and has a bitter taste. It can also help with arthritis and illnesses caused by prions.

• Quinine is an important medicine used to treat malaria. It comes from the bark of the cinchona tree, which is a type of flowering plant.
• Quinine looks like white crystals and tastes bitter. It can also be used to treat arthritis and diseases connected to prions.

• Arteether, a medicine used to treat malaria, comes from the Artemisia annua plant. Other medications such as chloroquine, atovaquine, barium, and paludrine can also be used to treat malaria.
• Malaria is caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is spread to humans by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.

• The bark of the cinchona tree contains a natural substance called quinine, which was once used to treat malaria.
• Today, a synthetic drug called Chloroquine is used instead. This drug is effective in killing malaria parasites.

• Quinine is taken from the bark of the cinchona tree and used to treat malaria, arthritis and prion-related diseases.
• Chlroquine and hydroxychloroquine are now more commonly used than quinine to treat malaria, but these are synthetic drugs, not taken from plants.
• Hydroxychloroquine has been tested to help with COVID-19 but did not work and had the potential to cause dangerous side effects.

• Cork comes from the bark of an oak tree called Quercus suber, which is found in Mediterranean areas.
• It is made up of small, oddly shaped, waxy cells with thin walls.

• Tapa, or bark cloth, is not made from woven material, but from softened tree or shrub bark. Common trees used for this are mulberry and fig.
• Designs are added with light brown, red, and black paints or dyes. Tapa cloth is made in many places in the Pacific Ocean, such as Samoa, Toga, Fiji, Niue, the Cook Islands, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Hawaii, where it is called ‘Kapa’.