Mixed Cropping system Concept , Advantage , Benefits , Examples
Prepare : Raji Ali Aawadi check by : Prof.Dr.Ali Irfan ERCIYES UNIVERSITY 2021
Concepts
• Cropping system • • • •
Multiple cropping Mixed farming Intercropping Mixed Cropping System
Cropping system The term cropping system is used to describe the pattern in which crops are grown in a given area over a period of time and includes the technical and managerial resources that are utilized (Surinder Singh Rana,2011)
Cropping system
Multiple cropping Multiple cropping is the practice of growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same space during a single growing season ,One example of multi-cropping is tomatoes + onions + marigold. The marigolds repel some of tomato's pests. Multiple cropping became more prevalent in Asian countries(Bunnett,R.B.2002)
Multiple cropping
Mixed farming Mixed farming involves running a system of livestock and arable crops from the same farm and traditionally involves a broad range of crops and livestock being grown and raised, with the advantage of spreading the risk of any one crop failing in a given year. Other forms of mixed farming include cultivation of different crops on the same field, such as millet and cowpea or millet and sorghum, or several varieties of the same crop with different life cycles, which uses space more efficiently and spreads risks more uniformly (CM.Karssen.,2000)
Mixed crop- livestock farming
intercropping Intercropping system employs growing several species in-between each other during the same season, alternatively to monoculture farming . An example of a perennial-annual intercropping match is garlic and tomatoes. In tropical regions, coffee and banana make a popular perennial combination(Kiwifruit، 2016)
Mixed crop system Mixed cropping is a system of sowing two or three crops together on the same land, one being the main crop and the others the subsidiaries. Mixed cropping is the practice of cultivating more than one crop, that is growing of two or more crops simultaneously in the same field. For example, wheat + gram, wheat + mustard etc. crops are selected such that their nutrient requirements are different
Mixed cropping, also known as polyculture, inter-cropping, or co-cultivation, is a type of agriculture that involves planting two or more plants simultaneously in the same field. Mixed cropping, as the name suggests, involves mixing the seeds of two or more crop plants prior to sowing them, so that the crops are grown mixed with each other. For example, wheat and gram, both rabi or winter crops are grown together. Gram is a legume, so it enriches the soil with nitrogen that can be used by the wheat crop. Mixed cropping, including intercropping(claral.lizarozo.,et al,2020)
Principles of mixed cropping Mixture should consist short and long duration crops. • Crops being attacked by similar insects, pests and diseases should not be sown together. • Bushy crops should be sown with erect growing crops. • Legumes should be sown with non-legumes • Harvests keep up profitability with lesser input.
Function of mixed-cropping •Mixed-cropping system that enhances farmland biodiversity has the potential to improve grain yield and quality. • Mixed cropping systems Compared with monoculture systems in the early and late growing seasons, increase the rate of photosynthesis and the dry weight of the plant above the soil surface
Mixed Cropping system with livestock Mixed crop–livestock systems, in which crops and livestock are raised on the same farm occur very widely in the tropics. In wellintegrated systems, livestock provide draft power to cultivate the land and manure to fertilize the soil, and crop residues are a key feed resource for livestock
What are the advantages of mixed cropping and livestock farming?!
Farmers can keep their fields under continuous production. It enhances the productivity of the farm land. It increases the per capita profitability. Both framings compliment each other. It enhances the productivity of the farmer also. • Reduce dependency on external inputs and costs
• The risk of total crop failure due to uncertain monsoon is reduced • Chances of pest infestation are greatly reduced • Fertility of the soil is improved by growing two crops
Why is mixed cropping and livestock farming common? Mixing crops and livestock permits farmers to distribute the workload more evenly through the year. Fields require less attention in the winter than in the spring, when crops are planted, and in the fall, when they are harvested.
A question?!
Why do we prefer a mixed cropping system over a sole crops or multiple cropping?!
Advantages of mixed crop • Many researchers today consider mixed cropping the most efficient land-use strategy • Some of the advantages of mixed cropping are, for resource use efficiency and yield stability, • That infestation by insect pests can be directly reduced in mixtures with cereals or legumes • Mixed-cropping systems may have higher resistance to diseases or pests • In the mixed crops the amount of disease was always less in comparison with sole crops regardless of whether the disease level was low or high (Karjalainen,1986)
• Mixed cropping has been shown to lead to better utilization of land, labour and capital (Remison and Onelemhemhen,1999) • Mixed cropping system ensure food security against total crop failure or with intent to maximize yield and profit making by the use of the same labour operations (Usman, 1997)
• Mixed crop system are characterized by high expenditure on agricultural machinery and buildings, and extensive use of manure and fertilizers • Mixed cropping system crops are alternated in order to maintain soil fertility • Mixed cropping requires fewer nutrient inputs such as fertilizers, pruning, pest control, and irrigation than monoculture farming, and as is often more cost-effective
• Mixed cropping according to some scientific basis there is almost 25% increase in yield relative to mono cropping • There is reduction in need of artificial fertilizers, which can otherwise be expensive • Reduce infection of pest and disease as most crop tend to be attacked by different pest/disease • There is high yield and high productivity if managed well it lessens likelihood of total crop failure, as you can be able to result to other mixed crop
Mixed cropping
What is Including Mixed Cropping Systems ?! It included Catch Crops and Cover Crops . Catch Crops that have the ability or that have been specially selected to reduce nitrogen leaching are often referred to as (Valkama et al., 2015) cover crop sare crops that prevent phosphorous loss and soil erosion (Aronsson et al., 2016)
The use of cover and/or catch crops in mixed cropping systems is a key practice within conservation agriculture, which seeks to protect the soil cover and improve soil function, while preventing nutrient losses and erosion (Lahmar, 2010)
For example, in Denmark , farmers are required to grow cover crops in autumn on at least 10% of their farm area (Thorup-Kristensen and Kirkegaard, 2016) and in Finland there is an allowance of €100 ha−1 for cover crops (Salonen and Ketoja, 2019)
Successful Mixed cropping examples • • • • • • • •
Cotton + groundnut Corn + beans + pumpkin Wheat + mustard/ Chickpea Barley + Chickpea Groundnut + sunflower Pigeon pea + Green gram Corn + black gram Soybean + Pigeon pea
What is The Difference Between Mixed Farming And Mixed Cropping?
Mixed Cropping Mixed Farming Mixed cropping is a
Mixed farming is a combination
practice of sowing two or
of Crop cultivation with
three crops together on the
livestock farming
same land. Mixed cropping. Depending on monoculture is not a recommended option for a small scale farmer The plants help supply the
Mixed farming, the cattle produce enough fertilizer for the whole farm Use of animals to help produce crops and Animal waste can be used as fertilizer for the plants
What is the difference between Mixed cropping and intercropping?
Mixed crop
A mixed cropping aim is to minimize the risk of crop failure. Seeds are mixed in Mixed cropping Mixed cropping has no pattern of rows and columns The equal importance given to all crops in Mixed Cropping Mixed cropping Harvesting is not an easy task
Inter-cropping
Inter-cropping aim is to increase the productivity from the unit area. it’s not in inter-cropping inter-cropping sowing follows rows and columns of different crops. in inter-cropping, more emphasis is on the main crop In inter-cropping Harvesting is easy, as it follows the same crops in the columns.
What are the benefits of mixed cropping?
• Variety Of Produce Depending on their family needs the crops are grown. A single crop can’t suffice their family needs. Some crops for pulses and some for vegetables. • Less Risk Of Crop Failure In the Mixed crop, the risk is very low at least one crop will give the yield.
• Improves Soil Fertility
The crops are chosen in such a way that at least one is leguminous. The legume crops fix the nitrogen in the soil. Mixed crop decomposition also adds up the nutrients to the soil.
• 4.Weed Control
When there are crops at the different canopy, the amount of sunlight reaching the ground is reduced significantly. When there is no sunlight then the weeds won’t germinate. Indirectly it’s less labor-intensive.
• Pest Control
Mixed cropping reduces pest infestation. Each pest is attracted to the individual crop, if the crops are mixed you can expect helpful insects too. Good insects, birds feed on pests keeping them in control.
• Increase In Yield
Crops are carefully chosen in order to help each other. The symbiotic relationship is maintained. For an example of leguminous plants, crops which support climbers. There is always a higher yield when you compare on monoculture
How are crops selected for mixed cropping? The crops are selected for mixed cropping on the following criteria: 1.Growth Habit Each crop should grow to different heightism, Choosing crops in such a way that one requires a lot of sunlight and others should be using less. For example, if three crops are chosen One should grow tall, others should be a climber which uses the first crop as its support and third should be creeper which grows on the ground.
2.Root Pattern
If one crop is deep-rooted the other should be shallow-rooted. The root entangling is avoided to reduce competition on nutrients at different levels of soil.
3.Water Need
If one requires more then the other should require less. The basic avoidance of competition. If there are heavy rains then one crop will survive and the same applies during drought condition
4.Crop Duration A mix of crops with a short duration and a long duration. Some yield sooner and others will take time. Harvesting times will be different. Harvesting should not affect the other crop. 5.Demand On Nutrients A balance of nutrient availability is maintained. One crop should require less and others the more.
The summary The practice of mixed cropping has been proven to provides a rich, biodiverse environment, fostering habitat and species richness for animals and beneficial insect species including butterflies and bees. There is even some evidence to suggest that Poly cultural fields produce higher yields as compared to mono cultural fields in some situations, and almost always increase biomass richness over time. Polyculture in forests, heathlands, grasslands, and marshes has been particularly important for the regrowth of biodiversity in Europe.
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