Question

Which of the following is not true for cover crops?

• A. Cover crops are more suited for drier areas as they compete for soil moisture.
• B. Cover crops are closely planted crops solely to control erosion.
• C. Cover crops are usually planted for protection when regular crops are off the land.
• D. They may be planted in strips or between rows to provide protection for vegetables or other crops highly susceptible for abrasive injury in the seedling stage.

Hint:

In dryland agriculture, any vegetation grown during the fallow period consumes precious ______stored soil profile water______.
Thus, cover crops are highly restricted in dry areas to prevent water stress in the subsequent main crop.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Cover crops are closely-growing vegetation planted primarily to manage soil erosion, improve soil quality, enhance water infiltration, and suppress weeds.
They are an integral part of conservation agriculture.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the truth value of each statement:
- Statement (B): Cover crops are indeed closely-growing crops planted to protect the soil from wind and water erosion. (True)
- Statement (C): They are typically planted during off-seasons (fallow periods) when the main cash crops are harvested, leaving the soil otherwise bare and exposed to erosion. (True)
- Statement (D): They can be planted as strips or windbreaks to shield highly sensitive vegetable seedlings from physical damage caused by wind-blown soil particles. (True)
- Statement (A): Cover crops are more suited for drier areas as they compete for soil moisture.
This statement is false.
In arid and semi-arid regions, water is the primary limiting factor for crop growth.
Because cover crops transpire water, they deplete the stored soil moisture reserves in the root zone.
This active competition for soil moisture can significantly reduce the yield of the subsequent main crop.
Therefore, cover crops are ______less suited______ (or require highly specialized management like chemical termination) in dryland farming systems.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The statement that is not true for cover crops is option (A).