Read the passage and answer the following questions:

The earthworm is often referred to as the farmer's 'friend' due to its beneficial role in the breakdown of complex organic matter and soil aeration. Similarly, decomposers play a crucial role in converting complex organic matter into inorganic substances like carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients through the process of decomposition. Detritus, consisting of dead plant remains (leaves, bark, flowers) and animal waste, serves as the raw material for decomposition. Decomposition involves several important steps: fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, humification, and mineralization. Detritivores, like earthworms, contribute to the process by breaking down detritus into smaller particles, which is known as fragmentation. Through leaching, water-soluble inorganic nutrients percolate into the soil horizon and precipitate as less accessible salts. Bacterial and fungal enzymes play a vital role in degrading detritus into simpler inorganic substances, and this process is referred to as catabolism. It's essential to understand that all these steps in decomposition occur simultaneously on the detritus. Humification and mineralization are significant processes occurring during decomposition in the soil. Humification involves the transformation of organic matter into stable, dark-colored substances like humus. Mineralization, on the other hand, refers to the conversion of organic nutrients into inorganic forms that plants can readily absorb.

What are the most important factors that favour decomposition ?

Warm temperature and soil moisture.

The correct answer is Option (3)- Warm temperature and soil moisture.

Decomposition is largely an oxygen-requiring process. Oxygen is essential for the efficient functioning of aerobic microorganisms involved in breaking down complex organic compounds into simpler substances during decomposition. The rate of decomposition is controlled by chemical composition of detritus and climatic factors. In a particular climatic condition, decomposition rate is slower if detritus is rich in lignin and chitin, and quicker, if detritus is rich in nitrogen and water-soluble substances like sugars. Temperature and soil moisture are the most important climatic factors that regulate decomposition through their effects on the activities of soil microbes. Warm and moist environment favour decomposition whereas low temperature and anaerobiosis inhibit decomposition resulting in build up of organic materials.