The correct option is (a).
Explanation
Agricultural crops are categorized based on the primary nutrients they provide to the human diet. Different plant groups specialize in synthesizing and storing specific macromolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.- Statement 1 is Correct: Cereals (such as wheat, rice, maize, and millets) are primarily cultivated for their high starch content. Starch is a complex carbohydrate that serves as the main source of energy in the human diet.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: Pulses (such as gram, peas, lentils, and beans) are leguminous crops known for their high protein content. While they do contain carbohydrates, they are distinctively categorized as the primary source of plant-based proteins, not carbohydrates.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: Oil seeds (such as soybean, groundnut, sesame, castor, mustard, and sunflower) are cultivated to extract vegetable oils. These oils provide necessary fats (lipids) to the diet, rather than carbohydrates.
Key Takeaway: In crop classification based on nutrition, cereals provide carbohydrates (energy), pulses provide proteins (growth and repair), and oil seeds provide fats (energy reserves).