What is a Cropping Pattern?
Cropping pattern shows a set and combination of crops which farmers opt for in a particular region.
Which are the factors that determine the cropping pattern?
- Climate
- Rainfall
- Temperature
- Soil type
Which are the different types of cropping patterns?
There are various types of cropping patterns that a farmer can employ. Let us look at a few of them in detail.
- Mixed cropping: Mixed cropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land. It requires the seeds of two different crop varieties. The two crops are chosen in such a manner that one does not interfere in the growth of the
For instance, if wheat and gram are grown together in the same field, the nutrients that wheat depends on will be different from those of gram. This ensures that the failure of one crop doesn’t take a toll on the farmer. There always is a backup and if both do well, then the farmer is assured of double benefits!
- Inter-cropping: Inter-cropping is growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field in a definite pattern. Once again care is taken to ensure that the requirements of the two crops are
- Crop rotation: The growing of different crops on a piece of land in a pre-planned succession is known as crop rotation. In this method, only one type of crop is grown in the field at a time; however, once the crop has been harvested a different crop is then planted in the same field. This process is repeated several times. When the crops are growing, it is important to have the land irrigated so that moisture is retained in the It is also necessary to add sufficient nutrients to the soil to help plant growth.