Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs – February 8, 2023 [Mock Test]
February 21, 2023 February 21, 2023
1. ‘Miyawaki’, which is seen in news sometimes, is a:
[A] Russian cyber-attack on Ukraine
[B] A gram-negative pathogen
[C] A type of non-fungible tokens
[D] An afforestation technique
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [An afforestation technique]
Notes:
Miyawaki method is an afforestation technique that creates dense forests with local plant species. The method was developed by Japanese botanist and ecologist Dr. Akira Miyawaki in the 1980s. The method is increasingly used worldwide for urban afforestation, even in small backyard spaces.
The Miyawaki method is intended to ensure that plant growth is 10 times faster and the resulting plantation is 30 times denser than usual. The dense, mixed planting is intended to simulate the layers of a natural forest. A study revealed that Miyawaki forests grow 10x faster, are 30 x denser and contain 100x more biodiversity.
The Miyawaki method is named after Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. He was professor emeritus at Yokohama National University and director of the Japanese Center for International Studies in Ecology since 1993. He received the Blue Planet Prize in 2006.
2. Consider the following statements:
- Salmonella enterica is a gram-positive bacterial pathogen.
- Salmonella enterica typhi bacteria causes a gastrointestinal infection.
- Salmonellosis is a typhoidal food-borne disease in humans.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[A] Only 2
[B] Only 3
[C] Only 1 & 2
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only 2]
Notes:- Salmonella enterica is a gram-negative bacterial pathogen.
- Salmonella bacteria can be typhoidal and non-typhoidal.
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is especially common in Salmonella serovars Typhimurium and Newport. Many strains of S. Typhimurium Definitive Type (DT) 104 are resistant to drugs ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulphonamides, and tetracycline.
- The outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of Salmonella plays essential role in the survival of the pathogen under antibiotic treatment. Removing OmpA resulted in a greater intake of antibiotics and killed the mutant bacteria by disrupting its outer envelope.
- Typhoid Fever is a gastrointestinal infection caused by Salmonella enterica typhi bacteria.
- Salmonellosis is a non-typhoidal food-borne disease in humans.
3. The chemicals, ‘Glyphosate’, ‘Carbofuran’, ‘Monocrotophos’ are used for which of the following applications?
[A] Dying agents used in textile industry
[B] Preservatives used in pharmaceutical industry
[C] Pesticides in agriculture
[D] Fruit ripening agents
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Pesticides in agriculture]
Notes:- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has restricted the use of glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, citing health hazards for humans and animals.
- Glyphosate is an Herbicide, developed in 1970.
- Herbicide is an agent, usually chemical, for killing or inhibiting the growth of unwanted plants, such as residential or agricultural weeds and invasive species. Its scientific name is N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine under the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) system of nomenclature. Herbicides are a type of pesticide that specifically targets weeds and other unwanted plants.
- Carbofuran is a carbamate pesticide, widely used around the world to control insects on a wide variety of field crops, including potatoes, corn and soybeans.
- Monocrotophosis an organophosphate insecticide, which is a type of pesticide.
