Which of the following is mostly a rainfed (dryland) crop of India?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Gram
Dryland farming is confined to regions with annual rainfall less than 75 cm, which grow hardy and drought-resistant crops such as ragi, bajra, moong, gram and guar. Rice, jute and sugarcane are water-intensive crops of wetland farming, where the rainfall is more than the plants need in the rainy season.
NCERT (2025-26): “Types of Farming … Rainfed farming is further classified on the basis of adequacy of soil moisture during cropping season into dryland and wetland farming. In India, the dryland farming is largely confined to the regions having annual rainfall less than 75 cm. These regions grow hardy and drought resistant crops such as ragi, bajra, moong, gram and guar (fodder crops) and practise various measures of soil moisture conservation and rain water harvesting. In wetland farming, the rainfall is in excess of soil moisture requirement of plants during rainy season. Such regions may face flood and soil erosion hazards. These areas grow various water intensive crops such as rice, jute and sugarcane and practise aquaculture in the fresh water bodies.…” |