Cropping Systems PDF

1/23/2025 Objectives CROPPING SYSTEMS To: Distinguish among cropping system, farming systems and...

1/23/2025 Objectives CROPPING SYSTEMS To: Distinguish among cropping system, farming systems and Agroforestry systems. Identify the significance of each cropping system by understanding the principles guiding it. Become conversant with the merits and demerits of each system. Daniel Brain Akakpo, PhD CROPPING SYSTEMS DEFINITION OTHER PRODUCTION SYSTEMS The term cropping system is used to describe the pattern in which crops are grown in a given area over a period of time Farming system and includes the technical and managerial resources that It comprises the farm, household, cropping patterns and are utilised. livestock production system. It comprises all cropping patterns used on the farm, their Agroforestry system interaction with farm resources/other farm enterprises and It involves the deliberate growing of trees on a land unit the physical, biological, technological and socio-economic together with crops/animals/pasture for increased benefit to factors within the environment. the land user and the environment. 1  1/23/2025 CROPPING SYSTEMS CROPPING SYSTEMS CONT’D Cropping system vary with crops, time of planting, location and the level of technology applied ✓Mixed cropping Crops may be grown together on the same field at the same ✓Intercropping time or the crops may be grown sequentially or separately at short intervals on the same piece of land. ✓Crop rotation There are five main cropping systems used in agriculture. ✓Mono/sole cropping ✓Multiple cropping MIXED CROPPING SYSTEM Mixed CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D ✓Mixed Cropping is the process of growing two or more annual crops together within a land unit without any distinct ▪ OBJECTIVE arrangement. To maximize your growing conditions to produce crops It may be adopted in a highly erratic environment where especially on a subsistence basis. conditions can become unstable. Crops are either sown at the same time so they mature Mixed Cropping could be split into four subgroups : together or may be sown at different times within the same season. Mixed crops: A system in which different crops are mixed together and sown either in lines or broadcast e.g.: millet- cowpea, sorghum-cowpea, maize-green/black gram etc. They are sown either in rows or broadcast 2  1/23/2025 MIXED CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D CROPPING SYSTEMS CONT’D Companion crops: Different crops are sown in different rows. ▪ PRINCIPLES Mixture is not random Grow legumes with non-leguminous crops Grow tall crops with short crops Guard crops: The main crop is surrounded by hardy thorny or repellant crops which protect the crop. They aim to serve as Grow determinate crops with indeterminate/ creeping crops protective barrier for the main crop; against rodents, insects, or as trap crops. Grow deep-rooted crops with shallow-rooted crops. Augmenting crops: Sub crops are planted to supplement the ❖Most important factor is to minimize competition during crop yield of the main crop selection. The most suitable crops selected differ in their growth rates and maturity Mixed CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D Mixed CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D ▪ ADVANTAGES ▪ DISADVANTAGES Total crop failure is prevented in case of unfavourable environmental conditions /in case of pest or disease It is non-scientific attack/fire. It is difficult to perform all cultural practices Low labour cost Difficult to estimate total plant population. Helps to maintain soil fertility status Continuous use of manual methods (non mechanization) Farmer has enough to fulfill his daily needs. Correct planting distances which would optimize yield is Management is simple forfeited. 3  1/23/2025 Multiple CROPPING SYSTEM Multiple CROPPING SYSTEM MULTIPLE CROPPING: Overlapping cropping: Two crops may be growing together ✓It is the growing of two or more crops in succession within a for a slightly longer period than relay cropping.(Crops are year. grown in succession). ✓It is an intensive cropping system where there can be Typical cases of overlapping cropping can be seen where different crops or a number of crops on a same piece of land you grow your crop in phases. In this case therefore you at a given period. may sometimes have a little gap within the growing cycle. Sowing and harvesting can be done simultaneously ✓There are two sub-groups. Relay Cropping: It is basically the cultivation of one crop first followed by a seasonal crop just prior to the harvest of the first crop. The land is not left fallow e.g.: maize → pepper →cowpea Multiple CROPPING SYSTEM Multiple CROPPING SYSTEMS ▪ OBJECTIVE Soil requirement and properties must be good to sustain productivity Increase income per unit area of land within a specified period of time. The area must have stable climate and not prone to extremes It is not for subsistence but for commercialization. There should be readily available inputs such as labour, agrochemicals, good seeds, irrigation, mechanization and ▪ Principles equipment. High yielding, short duration crops should be employed in this system There must be an efficient and ready market for produce Varieties must respond favourably to agricultural inputs Good processing facilities for produce 4  1/23/2025 Multiple CROPPING SYSTEM Multiple CROPPING SYSTEM ▪ ADVANTAGES Farmer must have a high technical know-how so that he can Fresh produce is obtained continuously throughout the year. identify potential problems associated with certain harmful crop mixtures/combination successions: e.g. allelopathy, It also checks problems associated with scarcity of land. where a crop exudes certain products into the environment to harm another crop The initial high cost of land preparation is reduced There should be regular training to improve production of crops or transfer technology The farmer has the potential to maximize profit from a particular land unit within a specific period. It should be possible to harvest crops at physiological maturity: e.g. maize, okra The land is barely left bare. Multiple CROPPING SYSTEM INTER-CROPPING ▪ DISADVANTAGES CROPPING SYSTEM Promotes land degradation as land use is continuous and there is the use of agrochemicals INTER CROPPING: ✓ It is also an intensive system of cropping. There is potential failure if technical know-how is unavailable. ✓It is the process of growing a subsidiary crop between two There is the potential to building up of pest and diseases widely spaced rows of a main crop Systems may not be applicable under all circumstances ▪ OBJECTIVE The objective is to utilize the space between two rows left It is an expensive cropping system. between the main crop for the production of more grain per unit area. 5  1/23/2025 Intercropping Intercropping Sugarcane & potato Related image Image result for intercropping images INTER-CROPPING SYSTEM Benefits of Companion Cropping Intercropping is also made up of 4 sub units, namely: Shelter: Larger plants protect others from the wind or too Parallel cropping: With this two crops with different growth much sun. habits and zero competition are selected and planted in rows Support: Some vegetables can be used as physical supports for parallel to each other at requisite planting distances so that others. each expresses its optimum/full yield potential e.g. maize and Beneficial Insects: Attracting beneficial insects such as bees soybean. help spread pollen. Soil Improvement. Companion cropping: You select two crops and grow them Decoy Plants. together such that the yield of one would not suppress the yield of another. The yield of both crops should be equal to their yield if the growth were in pure stand e.g. maize and potato 6  1/23/2025 CROPPING SYSTEMS CONT’D INTER-CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D ▪ Principles Multi-storeyed cropping: It is the growing of plants of different height growing on the same field at the same time to maximize Crops in association must have complimentary rather than the utilization of solar radiation e.g.: Plantain with corn and competitive effects. cocoyam Subsidiary crops should be of shorter duration and of faster Synergistic cropping: Growing of two crops together such that growing habit so that the sub-crop can utilize the early slow the yield of both would be higher than yield of each grown in a growing phase of the main crop pure stand on unit basis e.g. Sweet potato with sugar cane, tomatoes and onion. Component crops must have similar agronomic practices INTER-CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D INTER-CROPPING SYSTEM ▪ ADVANTAGES Erect crops must be intercropped with cover crops e.g.: groundnut. Nutrients from the different layers of the soil are used evenly Main and sub crops must have different root depth Total biomass production per unit area per period of time is increased due to full use of leaves. Must aim to use standard plant population especially in your main crop. Crop yields are produced in installments Must not select crops with similar pest and disease Improve quality and quantity of the major produce in composition addition of added produce from the sub crop. 7  1/23/2025 INTER-CROPPING SYSTEM CROP ROTATION ✓CROP ROTATION: It is a cropping system which involves the ▪ DISADVANTAGES growing of two /more crops continually on the same piece of Potential risk of competition land such that the crops follow each other in a definite Cannot be practiced on limited land area. sequence. May require inputs(agro) at a point in time. In crop rotation, no one crop is grown on the same plot in successive years It could be labour intensive Some amount of technical know-how is needed May be destructive to the environment but less so compared with multiple cropping CROP ROTATION SYSTEM CROP ROTATION SYSTEM CONTD’ ▪ OBJECTIVE. Crops from the same family which are likely to have similar pests and diseases should not follow each other Its objective is to maximize profit from a unit of land with least investments without impairing soil fertility. A short period of fallow during which a green manure crop can be planted should be integrated into the rotation A leguminous crop must always be included in the rotation. ▪ Principles Shallow rooted crops must follow deep rooted crops and vice Crops that would suit the season must be selected versa. Soil exhausting crops/heavy feeders should follow light feeders in the rotation. 8  1/23/2025 Crop Rotation in Field Crops CROP ROTATION SYSTEM ▪ ADVANTAGES Crops: Yam, Cowpea, Cassava and Maize Crop rotation helps to make efficient use of soil nutrients by Period: Four Years virtue of the principles of rotation. Agricultural practices/operations can be done in time. An efficient way of checking pests and diseases; breaks cycle of Plot I Plot II Plot III Plot IV pests and diseases. It also checks soil erosion Year 1 Yam Cowpea Cassava Maize Advantageous where land is scarce Year 2 Cowpea Cassava Maize Yam Helps to produce different crops to meet the different numerous requirements of the consumer Year 3 Cassava Maize Yam Cowpea Year 4 Maize Yam Cowpea Cassava CROP ROTATION SYSTEM CONT’D MONO-CROPPING SYSTEM MONO CROPPING/MONOCULTURE: ▪ DISADVANTAGES It is the growing of one crop continually in pure stand over a Requires a sound knowledge of both physiology and long period of time. agronomy It is difficult to follow a strict crop rotation pattern. It can also be done on seasonal basis. Crop rotation may not be suitable in all environmental conditions. Both perennial and annual crops can be cultivated under this It doesn’t lend itself easily to large scale farming. cropping system. ▪ OBJECTIVE To grow a single crop on a large scale for a specific purpose. 9  1/23/2025 MONO CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D MONO CROPPING Normally when growing seasonal crops (annuals), sole crops may not go on for more than two years. The sole crops may not be the same for more than one year. This sort of system where crop types change within a short period is known as monocropping. In the case of perennials where cropping goes on for more than 2 years system is referred to as monoculture MONO-CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D MONO CROPPING SYSTEM CONT’D ▪ Disadvantages ▪ Advantages High level of inputs. Farmers would specialize in the production of individual crops. Potential total crop failure. Does not utilize plant nutrients and resources effectively. One crop is produced on a large scale for a specific purpose especially industrial (brewing, starch production, animal feed). Farmers derive income from only one source. Potential build up of pest and diseases Cultural practices are easily carried out as the system permits mechanization. 10  1/23/2025 DEFINITIONS ASSESSMENTS OF CROPPING SYSTEMS Cropping Intensity Index refers to the changes in the intensity of Basically, assessing the use of the land in connection to the cropping compared to a given base year. Cropping intensity is the yield of the produce obtained number of times a crop is planted per year in a given agricultural area. It is the ratio of effective crop area harvested to the physical area Indices measured include Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) Used to assess the benefits of growing two i. Cropping Intensity Index or more crops together, or intercropping, by measuring productivity. ii. Land equivalent ratio LER compares the yields from growing two or more crops together with yields from growing the same crops in monocultures or pure iii. Relative crowding coefficient stands. LER values of more than 1 are beneficial and profitable. Relative crowding coefficient (RCC) plays an important role in determining the competition effects and advantages of intercropping. An aggressivity value of zero indicates that component crops are equally competitive. 11