Relay Cropping

Why in the News?

• Relay plantation can add extra sum of money to farmers income- Prime Minister

Background

• Relay planting means the planting of different crops in the same plot, one right after another, in the same season

• Examples of such relay cropping would be planting rice (or wheat), cauliflower, onion, and summer gourd (or potato onion, lady’s fingers and maize), in the same season

• Relay planting has less risk since you do not have to depend on one crop alone

• It also means better distribution of labour, insects spread less, and any legumes actually add nitrogen to the soil