Though coffee and tea both are cultivated on hill slopes, there is some difference between them regarding their cultivation. In this context, consider the following statements:

Correct Option

Statement 1 is correct. Coffee cultivation primarily requires a hot and humid tropical climate, with well-distributed rainfall typically ranging from 150 to 250 cm annually. It thrives at elevations between 800 and 2,000 meters. In contrast, tea can be successfully cultivated in both tropical and subtropical climatic conditions. It also requires high humidity, well-drained loamy soils, and rainfall between 150 and 250 cm.

Statement 2 is incorrect. While coffee is predominantly propagated by seeds, stem cuttings are also employed, particularly in certain varieties like Robusta. Similarly, tea is commonly propagated through stem cuttings (vegetative propagation) to maintain desired genetic traits, but it can also be grown from seeds. Therefore, the assertion that tea is propagated by stem cuttings "only" is inaccurate, and the implication that coffee is solely propagated by seeds is also not entirely precise.

Incorrect Options

Option (b) is incorrect because Statement 2 is factually inaccurate regarding the exclusive propagation methods mentioned for both coffee and tea.

Option (c) is incorrect as Statement 2 is not correct, making the combination of both statements incorrect.

Option (d) is incorrect because Statement 1 accurately describes the climatic requirements for coffee and tea cultivation, thus it is not true that neither statement is correct.