“The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost – free days and 50 to 100 centimetres of rainfall for its growth. A light, well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop?
- Cotton
- Jute
- Sugarcane
- Tea
Explanation
Option (a) is correct
- Cotton crop thrives in hot, sunny climates with long frost-free periods (210 days) and requires high temperatures, light rainfall or irrigation, and bright sunshine.
- Soil: It grows well in the Deccan plateau’s black cotton soil, deep alluvial soils in northern India, black clayey soils in central regions, and mixed black and red soils in the southern zone.
- While cotton can tolerate some salinity, it is highly vulnerable to waterlogging. As a Kharif crop, cotton requires 6 to 8 months to mature. Adequate water needs can be fulfilled with an annual rainfall of 50-100 cm, but successful cultivation is also achievable in regions with lower rainfall through the use of irrigation.
Option (b) is incorrect
- Jute is the second most important fibre crop of India after cotton. It is a rain-fed crop with little need for fertiliser or pesticides. This is in contrast to cotton’s heavy fertiliser and pesticide requirements.
- Climate: Hot (24 °C to 35 °C) and humid climate (minimum rainfall of 120 cm/year) with 80 per cent relative humidity.
- Soil: Highly fertile alluvial soil (light sandy or clayey soils).
- Plenty of standing water is required for the growth and processing of the jute crop.
- Cropping season:
- Sowing and raising of saplings are carried out in the pre-monsoon season so as to take full advantage of the monsoon season.
- Jute is generally sown in February and harvested in October (crop takes 8-10 months to mature).
- The plants are usually harvested (stalks are cut off close to the ground) before the flowers turn into seeds.
- India is the world’s largest producer of jute. Bangladesh is the second largest with around 25% of the world’s jute production. Over 99 per cent of India’s total jute is produced in just five states: West Bengal, Bihar, Assam (Brahmaputra & Surma valleys), Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
Option (c) is incorrect
- Sugarcane has the largest value of production among all the commercial crops in India. It is indigenous to India. It belongs to the bamboo family.
- Climate: Sugarcane is predominantly a tropical crop. Requires a hot (21°-27°C) and humid (75-150 cm) climate. It requires 10 to 18 months to mature, depending on the geographical conditions. Too heavy rainfall results in low sugar content & deficiency in rainfall produces a fibrous crop. Temperature above 20°C combined with open sky in the second half of the crop season helps in acquiring juice and its thickening. A short, cool, dry winter season during ripening and harvesting is ideal.
- Frost is detrimental to sugarcane. It must be harvested before the frost season in the northern parts, where frost is a common phenomenon. On the other hand, hot, dry winds like “Loo” are hostile to sugarcane. (Both frost and loo are absent in South India. So south is ideal). It can tolerate any soil that retains moisture. Sugarcane exhausts the soil’s fertility.
- Sugar beet (tuber crop) is the temperate alternative for sugarcane)
Option (d) is incorrect
- Tea bush is indigenous to China. It was introduced in India by the British.
