The number of days between sowing and harvesting of a crop is called the crop period. Base period is the number of days between the first watering at the time of sowing and the last water before harvesting of a crop. If the base period and the crop period are compared:
- Athe base period is much higher than the crop period
- Bthe base period is slightly more than the crop period
- Cthe base period is slightly less than the crop periodCorrect
- Dthe base period is equal to the crop period
Solution
Concept
Base period counts only the watering days, so it is a little shorter than the crop period.
Step-by-step solution
1. Crop period = days from sowing to harvesting. 2. Base period = days from first watering (at sowing) to last watering before harvest. 3. Watering usually stops some days before harvest, and sowing may come a little after the first preparatory watering. 4. So the base period is slightly less than the crop period.
Explanation
The crop stays in the field for the full crop period. Watering stops a few days before harvesting so the crop can mature. So the base period is slightly less than the crop period, and for practical work both are often taken as nearly equal.
Why the other options are wrong
A: Base period can never be much more than the crop period. B: Watering does not go beyond the crop's life, so it is not more. D: They are nearly equal but not exactly equal; the base period is slightly less.
Shortcut
Base period ≤ crop period: watering stops before harvest.
Common mistake
Choosing 'equal' because many books take both as nearly the same in calculations.
Correct answer: C) the base period is slightly less than the crop period