Question

Read the following statements about black pepper and select true statements :
A. Economic yield starts from fifth year after planting
B. Crop become ready for harvesting in 6-8 months after flowering
C. It is cultivated as rainfed crop
D. Commercial method of propagation is by seed.
E. It is perennial and woody climber.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

• A. A, B, C, D only
• B. A, B, C, E only
• C. A, C, D, E only
• D. B, C, D, E only

Hint:

Black Pepper Key Facts: - King of Spices ("Black Gold"). - Perennial climber propagated by runner cuttings. - Harvested $6--8$ months after flowering.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to evaluate five statements regarding the agronomy and botany of black pepper (Piper nigrum) and select the correct set of true statements.

Step 2: Alysis of Each Statement:

• Statement A: True. Black pepper vines start commercial economic yield from $3^{\text{rd}}--5^{\text{th}}$ year post-planting and continue yielding up to 20 years.
• Statement B: True. Berries require $6--8$ months from flowering/spike emergence to reach full harvesting maturity.
• Statement C: True. In India (Western Ghats region), black pepper is predomintly cultivated as a rainfed crop under heavy monsoon rainfall ($>2000\text{ mm}$).
• Statement D: False. The commercial propagation of black pepper is strictly vegetative using stem/runner cuttings, NOT by seed (seed propagation causes genetic segregation).
• Statement E: True. Black pepper is a perennial evergreen woody climbing vine supported on live or dead standards.

Step 3: Detailed Explation:

• Statements A, B, C, and E are scientifically correct.
• Statement D is incorrect because vegetative runner shoot cuttings root easily and ensure trueness-to-type.
• Thus, the correct combition is A, B, C, E only.

Step 4: Fil Answer:
The correct true statements are A, B, C, E only. Hence, option (B) is the correct choice.