The critical stage(s) for irrigation in wheat is/are: (A) Crown Root Initiation (B) Late tillering (C) Late jointing (D) Dough
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (C) (A), (B), (C) and (D)

Explanation:
• Wheat requires multiple irrigations at specific physiological stages for optimum yield. All four stages listed are recognized critical stages.
• Crown Root Initiation (CRI): The most critical stage, occurring 21 days after sowing (DAS).
• Tillering: Important for determining the number of spikes per unit area.
• Jointing: The period of rapid stem elongation.
• Dough Stage: The stage where the grain is filling and maturing; water stress here leads to shriveled grains.

Information Booster:
• Total 6 critical stages in wheat: CRI, Tillering, Jointing, Flowering, Milk, and Dough.
• If only one irrigation is available, it must be applied at the CRI stage.

Additional Knowledge:
• Water stress at the flowering stage (not listed but critical) can lead to sterile pollens and reduced grain set. The dough stage is the final critical window before harvest.