Cropping pattern:

refers to the proportion of land under cultivation of different crops at different points of
time. This indicates the time and arrangement of crops in a particular land area. Any
change in the cropping pattern would cause: change in the proportion of land under
different crops.
The cropping patterns determine the level of agricultural production. This reflects the
agricultural economy of any region. The cropping patterns are affected by changes in
agrarian policy, availability of agricultural inputs, improvement in technology. Thus, the
cropping patterns are beneficial in improving the fertility of the soil, thereby, increasing
the yield of the crops. It ensures crop protection and availability of nutrients to the crops.
Cropping system:

The term cropping system refers to the crops, crop sequences and management
techniques used on a particular agricultural field over a period of years. It
includes all spatial and temporal aspects of managing an agricultural system.

Crop choice is central to any cropping system. In evaluating whether a given

crop will be planted, a farmer must consider its profitability, adaptability to
changing conditions, resistance to disease, and requirement for specific
technologies during growth or harvesting. They must also consider the
prevailing environmental conditions on their farm, and how the crop will fit in
with other elements of their production system.
Basic principle of cropping system:

1. Choose crop that complement each other

2. Choose crop and a cropping rotation which utilize available resources efficiently
3. Choose crops and a cropping that maintain and enhance soil fertility
4. Choose crops which have a diversity of growth cycle
5. Choose a diverse species of crops
6. Keep the soil covered
7. Strategically plan and modify the cropping system as needed
Objectives of cropping system:

Efficient utilization of all resources viz. land, water and sunlight maintaining
stability and in production and obtaining higher net return.

Benefits of cropping system:

1. Maintain and enhance soil fertility

2. Enhance crop growth
3. Minimize spread of disease
4. Control weeds
5. Inhibit insect and pest growth
6. Increase soil cover
7. Reduce risk for crop failure
8. Use resources more efficiently
Classification of cropping system:

Depending on the resources and technology available , different types of

cropping systems are adopted on farms, which are as below:

1. Sole cropping (monoculture)

2. Intensive cropping
a) Multiple cropping
b) Intercropping

3) Sequential cropping

4) Crop rotation
1)Monoculture/Monocropping:-

The cropping system in which only one major crop is grown on the same land year
after year. Or Repetitive growing of only one crop on same piece of land year after
year. e.g Rice-Rice, Bajra-Bajra

Advantages of monoculture/monocropping:-
1) Convenience in sowing with the help of machinery under mechanized farming
2) 2) It is convenient for harvesting with the help of machinery

Disadvantages:-
1) Sometimes fertility and productivity of the soil are lowered if suitable soil
management practices are not followed.
2) Soil structure may be deteriorated.
3) Increase infestation of pests, diseases and weeds.
2) Intensive Cropping systems: Growing number of crops on the same piece of
land during the given period.

a) Multiple cropping:- The cropping system in which two or more crops are
grown either in succession or sequence or association for entire or part period of
their life cycles on the same field in a year is called multiple cropping. E.g.
Sorghum-Wheat-Green Gram, Maize-Wheat-Green gram ,Rice-Wheat-Black
gram-Linseed

Advantages of multiple cropping:

1.Reduce the risk of crop failure

2. Optimum utilization of natural resources
3. Increased the annual net yield per unit area

disadvantages of multiple cropping:

1) Some times control of pests, diseases and weeds become difficult

2) Harvesting with the help of machinery is not possible
Intercropping: Growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field.

It is further sub-divided as

a) Mixed intercropping

b) Row intercropping

c) Strip intercropping

d) Relay intercropping
a) Mixed cropping:- Growing two or more crops simultaneously with no distinct
row arrangement is known as mixed cropping.
E.g. Maize + Green gram + Pigeon pea
Sorghum + Groundnut + Pigeon pea

Advantages of mixed cropping:-

1) Risk of failure of crop is less
2) Fulfills the daily requirements of food grains, oilseeds, pulses etc.
3) Improve fertility of the soil if legumes are taken as minor crop
4) Better distribution of labour through out the crop period

Disadvantages:-
1) Some times control of pests, diseases and weeds become difficult
2) Some times affects the yield of main crop
3) Harvesting with the help of machinery is not possible
b) Strip intercropping:- Growing of two or
more crops simultaneously in strips wide
enough to permit independent cultivation but
narrow enough to interact the crop
agronomically is called as strip intercropping.

c) Row intercropping:- Growing of two or

more crops simultaneously, where one or
more crops are planted in rows is called as
row intercropping.
Relay intercropping:- Growing of two or more crops simultaneously during the part of
life cycle of each is called as relay intercropping. Second crop is planted after the first
crop has reached its reproductive stage of growth but before it is ready for harvest.
Suceeding crop is planted before harvesting of preceeding crop.

Alley cropping:- The system of growing jowar,

maize, bajra or any other arable crop in the alleys
(passage between two rows) of leguminous shrubs
like subabul (Leucaena leucacephala) is called as
alley cropping.
Advantages of intercropping system:

1) It should helps to improves the soil fertility and soil productivity.

2) Maintaining the higher crop yield.
3) Better utilization of available resources.
4) It should resist the soil erosion.
5) Reduces the incidence of insect pest, disease and weeds.
6) Improves the soil structure and water holding capacity of soil.

Disadvantages:

1) Harvesting with the help of machinery is difficult.

2) Intercultural operations are not possible.
3) Competition among the resources is more.
4) Harvesting makes a time consuming/difficult.
5) Weed control is not possible.
6) Water requirement is more.
Sequential multiple cropping:- It is the multiple cropping system in which two or
more crops are grown in sequence on the same piece of land in a year or over a fixed
period.

a) Double cropping:- It is multiple cropping system in which two crops are grown
in sequence on the same piece of land in a year. e.g. Black gram-Jowar, Black gram-
Wheat, Rice-Gram, Groundnut-Wheat etc.
b) Triple cropping:- It is the multiple cropping system in which three crops are grown
in sequence on a same land in a year.

It is possible when irrigation facilities are available throughout the year.

e.g. G.nut-Wheat-Okra, Rice-Wheat-G.nut, Jowar-Potato-Green gram, Soybean -Wheat-
G.nut etc.

c) Quadruple cropping:- It is the multiple cropping system in which four crops are
grown in a sequence on the same land in a year.

It is possible under irrigated conditions throughout the year. e.g. G.nut-Coriander-

Wheat-Green gram, Soybean-Methi-Wheat-Green gram etc.
Ratoon cropping or Ratooning:- The cultivation of crop regrowth after harvest is
known as rotoon cropping.

Ratooning is one of the important systems of intensive cropping, which implies more
than one harvest from one sowing/planting because of regrowth from the basal buds on
the stem after harvest of first crop.

Thus ratooning consists of allowing the stubbles of the original crop to strike again
or to produce the tillers after harvesting and to raise another crop.
e.g. Ratooning of Sugarcane, Hybrid Jowar, Hybrid Bajra, and Redgram etc.
 Crop Rotation:- A crop rotation may be defined as more or less systematic recurrent
succession of crops on the same piece of land. e.g. Jowar-Gram-Groundnut-Wheat.
Principles of crop rotation:
1. The crops with tap roots should be followed by those with fibrous root system. This helps
in proper and uniform use of nutrients from the soil.

2. The leguminous crops should be grown after non-leguminous crops. Legumes fix
atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and add more organic matter to the soil.

3. More exhaustive crops should be followed by less exhaustive crops.

4. The crop of the same family should not be grown in succession because they act like
alternate hosts for pests and diseases.

5. An ideal crop rotation is one which provides maximum employment to the family and
farm labour, farm machineries and equipment's are efficiently used.

6. Selection of the crop should be demand based.

7. The selection of crops should be problem based.

8. The selection of crops should suit to the farmer’s financial conditions.
9. The crops selected should also suit to the soil and climate conditions.
Benefits of Crop Rotation
1. Beneficial to succeeding crops.
2. Soil fertility is restored by fixing atmospheric nitrogen.
3. Encourages soil microbial activity.
4. Improves physico-chemical properties of the soil.
5. Avoids accumulation of toxins (HCN etc.).
6. Soil is protected from erosion.
7. Controls pests and diseases.
8. Controls weeds in the fields.
9. The family and farm labour, power, equipment and machineries are well
employed.
10. Differential extraction of nutrients and moisture from different depths.
11. Proper utilization of all the resources and inputs.

Limitations of Crop Rotation

1. Specialization in one crop is not possible.
2. Requirement of equipment’s and machineries varies from crop to crop.
3. Allelopathic effect of preceding crop.
4. Serves as alternate hosts for pests and diseases.
Table : A 4 year crop rotation plan
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