The following question consists of four labelled sentences P, Q, R and S about soil nutrients and fertiliser use. When these sentences are arranged in the most logical sequence, they form a coherent paragraph. Select the option that gives the best order.

Introduction / Context:
This para jumble question comes from an environmental science and agriculture context. The four sentences refer to depletion of organic nutrients in soil, low soil organic carbon levels, nutrient imbalance caused by overuse of certain fertilisers, and massive annual soil erosion. Your task is to arrange them into a logically ordered paragraph that captures the full picture of soil degradation in Green Revolution areas. To do this, you must identify the general opening statement, the supporting evidence, and the additional related problems that follow from the initial issue.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• P states that depletion of organic nutrients in the soil has reached alarming proportions because of indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers in Green Revolution areas.
• Q compares acceptable soil organic carbon, which should be over 5 percent, with actual levels in Punjab that are far below 1 percent.
• R reports that 5.3 billion tonnes of soil is eroded annually at a rate of 16.4 tonnes per hectare.
• S says that nutrient imbalance has been skewed by overuse of urea in relation to phosphatic and potassic fertilisers.
• The sentences all relate to soil health, nutrient balance and erosion.

Concept / Approach:
In paragraph ordering, we normally start with a broad statement of the main problem, followed by specific details, data, or causes. Supporting sentences may include statistical evidence or elaborations about how the problem manifests. Additional issues, such as erosion, may come later as further consequences or associated challenges. We must also ensure that technical terms like nutrient imbalance follow after the general notion of depletion is introduced, so that the reader is not lost in details without context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Sentence P is clearly the best opener. It introduces the broad problem of depletion of organic nutrients and links it to indiscriminate fertiliser use in Green Revolution areas. It sets the theme for the entire paragraph. Step 2: Sentence Q logically follows P by giving a concrete data point that illustrates the severity of nutrient depletion. It cites soil organic carbon levels in Punjab being far below 1 percent compared with the acceptable level of over 5 percent. Step 3: Sentence S then narrows in on the specific cause of nutrient imbalance, pointing out that overuse of urea relative to phosphatic and potassic fertilisers has skewed the balance. This fits after the depletion and low carbon data have been presented. Step 4: Sentence R completes the picture by adding another serious consequence: massive annual soil erosion of 5.3 billion tonnes at 16.4 tonnes per hectare. This is a related but distinct environmental effect, suitable as a later piece in the paragraph. Step 5: Putting this together gives P Q S R, which matches option PQRS.

Verification / Alternative check:
When you read PQRS in order, it forms a smooth logical development: a general claim about alarming depletion, a specific example of low organic carbon, a description of how fertiliser use has become imbalanced, and finally a statistic on soil erosion. The paragraph moves from basic problem to evidence, to cause, and then to an additional dimension of environmental degradation. No sentence feels out of place or without context, confirming that PQRS is the best ordering.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option SRPQ begins with S, which talks about nutrient imbalance without first stating that there is a larger depletion problem; this makes the paragraph feel incomplete at the start. Option QPSR starts with Q, giving specific numbers about Punjab before the reader is told that there is a general issue of depletion, which is less natural. Option PSRQ puts R too early, shifting to erosion before fully explaining the imbalance due to fertiliser use, which interrupts the flow. Therefore these alternatives are less coherent than PQRS.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to focus on numerical sentences and assume that any sentence with data must be the first or last statement. Another problem is ignoring the natural order where a general statement precedes its example and cause. Always identify the sentence that sets up the main topic, then arrange the rest to provide illustration, explanation, and further consequences. Keeping this hierarchy in mind will help you solve similar questions more reliably.

Final Answer:
The correct and most logical order is PQRS, so the correct answer is option PQRS.