Which of the following is a zaid (summer/short-season) crop?

Question

Which of the following is a zaid (summer/short-season) crop?

1. A. Gram
2. B. Fodder (Correct answer)
3. C. Mustard
4. D. Cotton

Correct Answer

Option B — Fodder

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Fodder.

Key Points

• Among the given options, fodder is a Zaid crop. Zaid crops are short-duration crops grown in the summer season between the rabi and kharif seasons (roughly March to June), relying on irrigation.
• Typical Zaid crops include watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, vegetables and fodder crops.
• The other options belong to different seasons: Gram and Mustard are rabi (winter) crops, sown in October-November and harvested in spring, while Cotton is a kharif (monsoon) crop.
• Since only fodder among the options is grown in the Zaid season, the correct answer is (B) Fodder.

Additional Information

• India's three cropping seasons: Kharif (sown with the monsoon in June-July, harvested September-October — rice, maize, cotton, bajra), Rabi (sown October-December, harvested April-May — wheat, mustard, gram, peas) and Zaid, the short summer season between them.
• Zaid crops depend on irrigation rather than rainfall and include watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, fodder and vegetables.
• The Kharif/Rabi split maps directly onto the south-west and north-east monsoons, which is the underlying logic to remember.