Correct Option
The characteristics provided in the question accurately describe the cultivation requirements for cotton.
- Cotton is a subtropical crop, highly susceptible to frost, which can severely damage the plant.
- It necessitates a long frost-free period, typically around 210 days, for optimal growth and boll development.
- The crop requires moderate rainfall, generally ranging from 50 to 100 centimetres, which can be supplemented by irrigation in drier regions.
- Light, well-drained soils, such as black cotton soil or alluvial loams that possess good moisture-retaining capacity, are ideal for its cultivation.
Incorrect Options
- Jute: This crop thrives in a hot and humid climate, typically requiring 100 to 150 centimetres of rainfall, which is higher than the specified range.
- Sugarcane: It is a tropical crop that demands a hot and humid climate with significant water availability, generally 75 to 150 centimetres of rainfall, and a longer growth period, which does not align with all the given conditions.
- Tea: Tea cultivation requires a cool, moist climate with abundant and well-distributed rainfall, usually between 150 to 250 centimetres, and well-drained loamy soils on hill slopes, differing from the conditions mentioned.