18 Questions
What is the purpose of multiple cropping systems?
To maximize the use of available land by growing different crops sequentially
What is the primary advantage of cover crops in a multiple cropping system?
Providing soil protection, enhancing soil fertility, and reducing weed growth
Which of the following is an example of a multiple cropping system?
Companion crops or wheat/pea mixtures
What is the purpose of green manure crops in a multiple cropping system?
To improve soil quality by plowing them under
What is the primary challenge associated with living mulches in a multiple cropping system?
Management challenges due to the complexity of the system
What is the purpose of conservation plantings in multiple cropping systems?
To diversify the landscape and increase environmental quality
What is the purpose of riparian buffers in a multiple cropping system?
To prevent animals from accessing water bodies
What is the purpose of shelter belts in a multiple cropping system?
To prevent soil erosion and increase environmental quality
What is the primary benefit of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)?
Converting highly erodible cropland to vegetative cover
What is the main advantage of continuous cropping?
Economic incentives and specialization
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of crop rotation?
Specialization in machinery and chemicals
What is monoculture?
Growing a single crop within a field during the growing season
Which of the following is an advantage of polyculture?
Better utilization of soil and environmental resources
What is strip cropping?
Growing crops in monocultures in adjacent strips within a field
What is the purpose of the Conservation Reserve Program?
To provide soil conservation
Which cropping system involves growing a sequence of different crops over years on the same land?
Crop rotation
What is a common form of strip cropping?
Contour strip cropping for soil conservation on sloping lands
Which cropping system involves growing two or more crops together on the same land during the growing season?
Polyculture
Study Notes
Cropping Systems
- Continuous cropping: same crop is grown for 2+ years on the same land, with economic incentives and greater specialization
- Crop rotations: sequence of different crops grown over years on same land, providing advantages like pest control, increased soil quality, and less risk
Monoculture vs Polyculture
- Monoculture: growing a single crop within a field during the growing season, with advantages like specialized machinery, target chemicals, efficient fertilizer systems, and specialized varieties
- Polyculture: growing two or more crops together on the same land during the growing season, utilizing more soil and environmental resources, with advantages like yield stability, diversification of income, and better use of resources
Types of Polyculture
- Strip Cropping: growing crops in monocultures in adjacent strips within a field, commonly used for soil conservation on sloping erodible lands
- Mixed Intercropping: two or more crops grown together at random, fitting best in forage production systems
- Living Mulches: planting annual grain crops into living perennial sod, providing year-round ground cover
Multiple Cropping Systems
- Sequential production of two or more different crops from the same piece of land each year, often practiced in long growing season areas
- Double cropping: utilizing both summer and winter annual crops
- Cover Crops: introduced during or following harvest of cash crop, providing advantages like soil protection, enhancing soil fertility, and reducing weed growth
Soil Conservation and Environmental Quality
- Green Manure Crops: grown to plow under to improve soil quality, with legume crops being especially effective
- Conservation Plantings: programs funded by federal and state governments to diversify the landscape and increase environmental quality
- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP): converts highly erodible cropland to vegetative cover, with 36 million acres enrolled in CRP (2007)
Learn about continuous cropping, crop rotation, monoculture, polyculture, and the Conservation Reserve Program in this quiz. Understand the advantages and differences between these cropping systems.
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