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Crop means a specific type of plant that is grown on a massive scale within a particular location for industry purposes. One specific pattern or method is followed when cultivating crops. A cropping system refers to the sequencing and management of crops grown on a parcel of land throughout time. Mixed cropping and intercropping are the two widely contrasted cropping methods. Mixed cropping is a strategy that involves combining several varieties of crops in one field. Intercropping, on the other hand, is when more crops are grown at the same time in the very same area of a province in a particular arrangement.
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What do you mean by Intercropping and Mixed cropping?
Intercropping is a cropping practice in which two or even more crops are grown in the same plot of land at the same time in a particular row pattern in order to boost crop yield. Intercropping is the process of developing two or more crops in close proximity, which implies the crops are produced on the same area of land and in specific row patterns simultaneously. It lowers the chances of crop damage. This method is commonly used by small farmers that are entirely reliant on rainfall for increased output and have no other choices, such as canals and bore wells.
Intercropping may be divided into three categories
- Row planting consists of at least two varieties of vegetable plants, one of which is planted in rows
- Mixed intercropping, also known as basic interplanting, is when two crops are planted together without utilizing rows
- Relay planting: The second crop is seeded when the first is beginning to mature
Mixed cropping, also known as multiple cropping, is a type of intercropping in which more than 2 or sometimes two crops are grown on the same area of land at the same time. This sort of cropping practice can boost crop output while also improving soil fertility. The product and waste of one agricultural plant aid the growth of the others, and conversely. This technique of agricultural cultivation protects against crop failure due to extreme weather. It aided farmers in increasing farm productivity and reducing crop failure, which was frequent in India and other Asian nations.
The number of crop varieties per year and the severity of crop overlap can be used to explain multiple-cropping systems. A system with two or three crops sown concurrently with no overlap in the growing cycle is referred to as double or triple cropping. Crop rotation, in which different crops are grown on the same field in different years, is not the same as this. Crop rotation can deplete soil fertility because certain plants supply nitrogen to the soil while others remove it.
Benefits of Intercropping
Resource partitioning: Growing crop varieties on a single area of land necessitates different tactics. Soil, climate, and crop variety are all important factors to consider. Intercropping, on the other hand, has several agronomic advantages when done effectively.
Mutualism: Growing two plants together can benefit both of them in terms of fitness and yield. Coconuts and bananas are grown in the top and middle tiers, while pineapple, ginger, and other therapeutic or fragrant plants are grown on the lower layer. It promotes biodiversity by providing a home for a variety of soil microbes and insects that would otherwise be absent in a monoculture setting.
Pest control: Crop diversification also helps with pest control. Intercropping reduces agricultural pest outbreaks by increasing predator diversity. Intercropping can be used to manage pests in a variety of ways.
Trap cropping: Planting a support crop to attract insects and to keep them away from the main crop is known as trap cropping.
Repellent intercrops: This entails planting a supporting crop that acts as a repellent, masking the smell of the producing crop, and keeping insects at bay.
Push-pull cropping: Push-pull cropping combines the benefits of both trap and repellent cropping techniques.
Benefits of Mixed Cropping
Mixed cropping is a tried-and-true method that is entirely risk-free. Farmers have adopted mixed cropping for the following reasons:
- Produce from a variety of sources
- Crop failure is less likely
- Enhances the soil’s fertility
- Controlling weeds
- Getting rid of bugs
- Enhancement of Yield
DIfferences between Mixed Cropping and Intercropping
The contrasts between intercropping and mixed cropping are explained in the following points:
- Mixed cropping is a cropping method in which two or even more crops are planted and cultivated simultaneously on the same land. On the other hand, intercropping is a kind of crop cultivation in which 2 distinct types of products are grown and farmed in a specific pattern within the same plot of land.
- In intercropping, seeds are sown in a particular order in various rows. However, there is no sequence in the situation of mixed cropping.
- If mixed cropping is used, the seeds are appropriately incorporated and blended in the land. Intercropping, on the other hand, does not need any pre-seeding mixing.
- In mixed cropping, identical fertilizer, pesticide and insecticide are being applied to all of the lot. In variance, intercropping employs a different fertilizer and pesticide for each harvest.
Conclusion
To summarise, intercropping is a good form of mixed cropping, and every crop variety that can be utilized in mixed cropping may also be used in intercropping. Diverse cropping harvests and markets the outputs of a variety of crops. In intercropping, the fields are harvested and sold at different periods.
