Given below are two statements.
Statement I: Composting is aerobic degradation of organic materials under controlled conditions, yielding a marketable manure.
Statement II: In such composts, concentrations of key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are sufficient enough to compete with commercial fertilizers.
In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

Statement I is true but Statement II are false.
Explanation:
• Statement I is true. Composting is indeed the aerobic (requires oxygen) biological process that breaks down organic materials such as leaves, grass trimmings, and food wastes into a darker, crumbly, earthy-smelling soil conditioner. This process is controlled to optimize the conditions for aerobic decomposition and yields a product used in agriculture and gardening.
• Statement II is false. While compost does provide valuable nutrients necessary for plant growth, its concentrations of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are generally lower compared to commercial synthetic fertilizers. Compost primarily improves soil structure, moisture retention, and microbial activity, rather than directly competing with commercial fertilizers on nutrient concentration levels.