Which of the following pairing of crops with their most critical stages for moisture stress is/are CORRECT?
Options:
(A) Wheat: Crown Root Initiation (CRI) stage (20–25 days after sowing)
(B) Rice: Panicle initiation and flowering stage
(C) Maize: Tasseling and silking stage
(D) Gram / Chickpea: Continuous flooding during harvest
Answer Key:
A, B, C
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
1. CRI is the single most vital stage in wheat; moisture deficit at CRI permanently slashes tillering and yield (A is correct).
2. Panicle initiation through flowering is extremely vulnerable in paddy (B is correct).
3. Tasseling and silking determine kernel set in maize (C is correct).
4. Chickpea is highly sensitive to waterlogging and never requires flooding during harvest (D is false).