Question 67 from UPSC CSE 2014 - Current Affairs

Question

In India, cluster bean (Guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but recently the cultivation of this has assumed significance. Which one of the following statements is correct in this context?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. The gum made from its seeds is used in the extraction of shale gas.

Strategy: Identify the economic context of guar's recent significance. Connect guar cultivation to guar gum and its primary industrial use in hydraulic fracturing for shale gas extraction. Eliminate options related to oil, leaf extract, or biodiesel, as they are not the main drivers of its increased cultivation.

Key Info: **About Guar**
Cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), or guar, is an annual legume from India, traditionally used as a vegetable and fodder. Its main commercial product is guar gum, a polysaccharide from its seeds.

**Key Applications**
Guar gum functions as a thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier in both food and non-food industries.

**Primary Industrial Driver**
The most significant recent use of guar gum is in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas extraction. It makes the fracturing fluid viscous, enabling it to carry sand into rock fractures and facilitate gas flow.

**Production and Economic Impact**
India produces over 80% of the world's guar, primarily in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat. Demand from the fracking industry has caused significant surges in the crop's price and cultivation acreage.

**Common Misconceptions**
Guar is not a significant source of oil for biodiesel. Its leaf extract does not have established anti-histamine properties. Biodegradable plastics are not a major application of guar seed oil. The main driver of its economic importance remains its role in shale gas extraction.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: The oil extracted from seeds is used in the manufacture of biodegradable plastics.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: The leaf extract of this plant has the properties of anti-histamines.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: It is a source of high quality biodiesel.