Question

Define intercropping.

Answer 1

Hint: Intercropping is the system of growing more than one crop in a field in a growing season. It employs more effective use of resources (land) and also prevents the growth of pests and weeds.

Complete Answer:
It is a cropping technique which involves plantation of two or more crops in a row pattern in the same field. The main objective of this kind of cropping is to get greater yield and variety of crops from a single piece of land. It utilises the same environmental resources which was otherwise to be utilised by a single crop.

Types of intercropping:
1. Mixed: The crops are mixed in the space available.
2. Row cropping: The crops are grown or arranged in alternate rows.
3. Temporal intercropping: It involves sowing fast growing crops with low growing crops so that the fat growing is harvested earlier than the slow growing ones.
4. Relay cropping: In this second crop is grown near to the onset of fruiting of the first crop so that the harvesting of the first crop makes enough room for the second one.

Applications:
- The intercropping requires preplanning and selection of the varieties to be grown together. The proper election of crops yields more production.
- When two plants are planted at proximity towards each other, they interact mutually. This results in growing fit plants.

Note: The different cropping techniques help in increasing the fertility of the soil. Also the yield of the crop is much more. It utilises the resources available and help in improving the economy of the region.