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AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING

SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM
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AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

Table of Contents
Definition of Cropping Systems: ....................................................................................... 2
What are the types Of Cropping Systems? ........................................................................ 2
1. Mixed Farming: ................................................................................................................ 3
2. Ratooning or Ratoon cropping: ......................................................................................... 3
3. Mixed Cropping: .............................................................................................................. 4
4. Sole Cropping/Solid Planting ............................................................................................ 4
5. Monoculture.................................................................................................................... 5
6. Live Mulch System ........................................................................................................... 5
7. Multiple Cropping: ........................................................................................................... 6
8. Intercropping ................................................................................................................... 6
9. Sequential/Non-overlapped Cropping .............................................................................. 8
10. Relay/Overlapped Cropping ......................................................................................... 8
11. Multi-storeyed/Multitired/Multilevel Cropping: ........................................................... 9
12. Parallel Cropping.......................................................................................................... 9
13. Companion Cropping ................................................................................................... 9
14. Synergetic Cropping ..................................................................................................... 9

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 Cropping Systems

Definition of Cropping Systems:

A cropping system refers to the type and sequence of crops grown
and
practices used for growing them. It encompasses all cropping
sequences
practiced over space and time based on the available technologies
of crop
production. Cropping systems have been traditionally structured to
maximize crop yields.
Cropping pattern means the proportion of area under various crops,
at a
point of time in a unit area. It indicates the yearly sequence and
spatial
arrangement of crops and fallow in an area.

What are the types Of Cropping Systems?

» Cropping pattern is a dynamic concept because it changes over space and time.
» In India, the cropping pattern determined by rainfall, climate, temperature, soil type and
technology.
» The Indian agriculture is decided by the soil types and climatic parameters which
determine overall agro-ecological setting for nourishment and appropriateness of a crop
or set of crops for cultivation.

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 Mixed Farming Ratooning Mixed Cropping

Sole
Cropping/Solid Live Mulch System Monoculture
Planting

Multi-
storeyed/Multitir
Multiple Cropping ed/Multilevel Parallel Cropping
Cropping

Companion Synergetic
Cropping Cropping

1. Mixed Farming:

Mixed Farming

» A system of farming on a particular farm which includes crop production, raising

livestock, poultry, fisheries, bee keeping etc. to sustain as many needs of the farmer
as possible.
» The objective is subsistence while higher profitability without altering ecological
balance is important in farming system.
» The cropping pattern in this system involve the raising of crops, animals and or trees.

2. Ratooning or Ratoon cropping:

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 Ratooning

» Ratoon cropping is an agricultural practice of harvesting a monocot crop by cutting

most of the above ground portion but leaving the roots and growing shoot apices intact
so as to allow the plants to recover and produce a fresh crop in the next season.
» This practice is widely used in the cultivation of crops such as rice, sugarcane, banana,
and pineapple.
» Ratoon crops cannot be perennially renewed, and may be harvested only for a few
seasons, as a decline in yields tends to occur due to increased crowding, damage by
pests and diseases, and a decline in soil fertility.
» One of the important methods of intensive cropping, allowing the stubbles of the
original crop to strike again after harvesting and to raise another crop.

3. Mixed Cropping:

Mixed Cropping

» Cultivation of two or more than two crops simultaneously, on the same piece of land
without any definite row pattern or fixed ratio.
» Mixed cropping is commonly practiced in Dry land areas of India.
» Sowing of seeds is generally by broadcasting method.
» Main objective is to lessen the risk of total crop failure, and to satisfy the farmers in
food and fodder.
» Mixed cropping needs irrigation throughout the year.
» All the crops are given equal attention and care.

4. Sole Cropping/Solid Planting

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 Sole cropping

» It is opposite of intercropping.
» “One crop variety grown alone in pure stands at normal density in a field in a certain
place and time”.

5. Monoculture

Monoculture

» The repetitive growing of the same sole crop on the same land or the cultivation or
growth of a single crop or organism especially on agricultural or forest land.
» Practice of repetitive growing only crop irrespective of its intensity as rice rice-rice in
Kerala, West Bengal and Orissa.

6. Live Mulch System

Live mulch System

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 » Live mulch crop production involves planting a food crop directly into a living cover
of an established cover crop without tillage or the destruction of the fallow vegetation.
» A living mulch is a cover crop interplanted or under sown with a main crop, and
intended to serve the purposes of a mulch, such as weed suppression and regulation of
soil temperature.
» Living mulches grow for a long time with the main crops, whereas cover crops are
incorporated into the soil or killed with herbicides.

7. Multiple Cropping:

Multiple cropping

The growing of more than one crop on the same land in one year. It is a form of polyculture.

Types of multiple cropping:

Intercropping

Relay/overlapped
Mixed cropping
cropping

Sequential/non-
overlapped cropping

8. Intercropping

Intercropping

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 » Growing of two or more crops simultaneously in alternate rows or otherwise in the
same area, where there is significant amount of inter crop competition.

Advantages of Inter Cropping:

Greater stability of yield over different seasons,

Better control of weeds, pests and diseases

Better use of growth resources,

One crop provides physical support to the other crop

One crop provides shelter to the other crop

Erosion control through providing continuous leaf cover
over the ground and surface
It is the small farmers of limited means who is most
likely to benefit

Disadvantages of Intercropping:

Yield decrease because of adverse competition effect

Allopathic effect
Creates obstruction in the free use of machines for
intercultural operations
Large farmers with adequate resources may likely to get
less benefit out of intercropping.

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 9. Sequential/Non-overlapped Cropping

Sequential cropping
» Growing of two or more crops in quick succession on the same piece of land in a
farming year. The swing of the succeeding crop and harvesting of the preceding crop
may be done simultaneously or in a quick succession.
» For instance; Just after the harvest of Maize, Potato is sown and just after digging of
potato. Chili is sown.
» It can be described as crop rotation.

10. Relay/Overlapped Cropping

Relay cropping

» Relay planting is inter-sowing of seeds/seedlings of the succeeding crop before

harvesting the preceding/maturing crop.
» Generally, the 2nd crop is planted after the first crop has reach its reproductive stage of
growth e.g. Potato is planted before the harvest of Maize and Radish is sown before
harvesting of Potato.
» Paira (Bihar & WB) and Utera (MP) cropping are also referred as an example of
relay cropping.
» Paira/Utera cropping means sowing of Lathyrus or Lentil before the harvest of rice in
lowland area with an objective to use the residual moisture of rice field.

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 11. Multi-storeyed/Multitired/Multilevel Cropping:

Multi-storeyed cropping
» Two or more than two crops of different heights cultivated simultaneously on the same
field.
» It is generally practiced in Karnataka and Kerala e.g. Sugarcane + Mustard +
Onion/Potato.
» Coconut is grown widely or practiced for multi-storeyed cropping pattern.

12. Parallel Cropping

» Such crops have different growth habits and zero competition to each other.
» Eg ; Urd/Moong + Maize

13. Companion Cropping

» When the production of both inters crops is equal to that of its solid planting.
» e.g. Mustard/Potato/Onion + Sugarcane

14. Synergetic Cropping

» In this type of cropping, yield of both the crops are higher than their pure crops on unit
area.
» e.g. Sugarcane + Potato.

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]

 Cropping Index: The number of crops grown
per annum on a given area of land multiplied
by hundred.

Land Equivalent Ratio:Ratio of the area

needed under sole cropping to one of
intercropping at the same management level to
give an equal amount to yield.
LER is the sum of the fractions of the yield
of the intercrops, relative to their sole
crop yields. Intercropping system accepts
advantageous, when LER is morethan 1.0

AGRI CHAPTER 6- CROPPING SYSTEMS - NABARD EXAM [email protected]