Which of the following statements with reference to the main cropping seasons in India is/are FALSE? 1. The terms 'kharif' and 'rabi' originate from Arabic language where Kharif means autumn and Rabi means spring. 2. Kharif crops need cold weather for growth and need less water. 3. Rabi crops generally require more water and are called monsoon crops. 4. Zaid is short cropping season during summer months and mostly seasonal fruits and vegetables are grown in this season. Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Kharif And Rabi

• The terms 'kharif' and 'rabi' originate from the Arabic language where Kharif means autumn and Rabi means spring. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
• The kharif crops include rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet/bajra, finger millet/ragi (cereals), arhar (pulses), soybean, groundnut (oilseeds), cotton etc.
• Kharif crops require a lot of water and hot weather for growth. They are also known as monsoon crops because they are grown during the rainy season.
• Kharif crops are sown at the beginning of the monsoon season and are harvested in September and October. They require warm, wet weather and a large amount of water for vegetative growth. They also need shorter days for flowering. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
• Rabi crops, on the other hand, require warm weather for seed germination and a cold climate for growth. Hence, Statement 3 is not correct.

Zaid Crop

• It is a short cropping season during summer months and mostly seasonal fruits and vegetables are grown in this season. Hence, Statement 4 is correct.
• It is a short cropping season that occurs between the rabi and kharif seasons during the summer months from April to June.
• Zaid crops are also known as summer crops and some important crops grown during the Zaid season include Watermelon, Muskmelon, Cucumber, Vegetables, and Fodder crops.