Question

What is the name for kharif season in Tamil Nadu?
A. Sornavari
B. Samba
C. Navarai
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: The Kharif season starts from July to September during the south-west monsoon season. The word ‘Kharif’ means autumn season in Arabic, thus the name Kharif crops.

Complete Step by Step Answer: The Kharif season in Tamil Nadu is known as Sornavari. The crops sown in the monsoon season are called the Kharif crops. The season for Kharif crops differs from every state of the country but is usually from July to September. The various methods for sowing Kharif crops are as follows –
1. Dibbling – It is a method of putting a few seeds or seed in a pit made with a predetermined depth and space with a dibbler or a planter. This particular method is suitable for wider space planted crops which require some specific spacing for their canopy development or for cultural practices such as earthing, weeding etc. Seeds may be planted in level fields or on the ridges. For dibbling, the whole seedbed is not required to be prepared but only the seeding zones. This process is suitable for planting cotton, castor, groundnut, maize etc.
2. Line sowing – Line sowing also known as drilling is a practice of planting or dropping seeds in furrows. Furrows are made with a predetermined spacing, in which seeds are dropped at a defined distance and depth. Then it is covered with soil and compacted. Seed cum fertilizers or seed drills are some implements used in this method.
3. Broadcasting – It is a method of spreading or scattering seeds on the soil which may or may not be covered with soil. It is mostly done by hand, aeroplanes or by mechanical spreaders. Broadcasting is particularly suitable for close sowing crops which do not require spacing for their ultimate growth and development. Examples of crops which require this method are millets, mustard, jute, flooded rice etc.
4. Planting – It is the method of manually planting seeds in the soil. Crops with bigger sized seeds and which require wider space for their development needs to be planted manually.
Thus, the correct answer is option (A).

Note: Students often confuse themselves between Rabi and Kharif crops. The harvesting season for Rabi crops in April and May whereas for Kharif crops are harvested at the end of monsoon season, i.e, October to November.