In contingent crop planning, which of the following is a key recommended measure when there is early withdrawal of monsoon (terminal drought)?

Correct option is C

· Contingency guidelines for dryland regions state that when the monsoon withdraws early (e.g. by mid-August):
· Remove weeds and use them for mulching to conserve remaining soil moisture.
· In mixed cropping, remove the most sensitive crop first and use as fodder.
· Where possible, provide life-saving irrigation.
· In suitable areas (e.g. tank beds), go for early sowing of short-duration rabi crops like taramira, chickpea, linseed etc., using conserved moisture.
· This is the core idea of contingent planning for early withdrawal – conserve residual water and shift quickly to appropriate rabi crops.
Why other options are wrong
· (a) Re-sow long-duration kharif crops – after early withdrawal, growing season is shortened; re-sowing long-duration kharif is not advised due to high failure risk.
· (b) Heavy nitrogen and continue same crop – increased N under moisture stress often worsens crop stress and does not address shortened season.
· (d) Abandon rabi cropping – contingency planning explicitly aims to maintain production by adjusting crops/varieties and conserving moisture, not by leaving land fallow.