Climate

• Crop is suitable for both summer and rainy season
• Suited for moderately humid areas of tropics and subtropics

Soil

• Saline, alkaline or waterlogged soils should be avoided
• Heavy clays encourages vegetative growth with less seed production
• Can be grown as a summer crop in rice fallow of sandy loams

Season

• In Kerala, it is raised as a rain fed crop during May and also as summer crop in rice fallows