Arrange the crops in increasing order of their water requirements – A. Rice B. Sorghum C. Maize D. Wheat E. Finger millet

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (B) D < E < B < C < A

Explanation:
• Water requirement (WR) is the quantity of water needed by a crop in a given period for its normal growth and development under field conditions.
• Wheat (D) typically has a water requirement of about 450-650 mm.
• Finger Millet (E) and Sorghum (B) are drought-hardy crops; Finger millet generally requires slightly less than maize but more than wheat in some cycles, while Sorghum requires around 450-700 mm.
• Maize (C) has a higher requirement, typically ranging from 500-800 mm.
• Rice (A) has the highest water requirement among the options, usually needing 1200-2500 mm due to its semi-aquatic nature and the practice of ponding water in fields.

Information Booster:
• Water Use Efficiency (WUE) is the yield of marketable crop produced per unit of water used.
• Millets like Sorghum and Finger Millet have higher WUE compared to Rice.
• Rice is often considered a 'water guzzler' because it takes nearly 3000 to 5000 liters of water to produce 1 kg of rice.

Additional Knowledge:
• Factors affecting water requirement include crop type, variety, growth stage, soil type, and climate.
• Sugarcane is another crop with very high water requirements (1500-2500 mm), similar to Rice.