UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 53
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?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B
Explanation: Guar seed gum is used as a thickening and friction-reducing additive in hydraulic fracturing fluids for shale-gas extraction.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - Guar gum, not an extracted oil, is the commercially important industrial product here.
B: Correct - Correct: guar gum is added to fracking fluids used in shale-gas extraction.
C: Incorrect - Antihistamine leaf extracts are not the reason for the recent guar cultivation boom.
D: Incorrect - Guar is not primarily cultivated as a high-quality biodiesel feedstock.