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What is Inter-cropping ?
Explanation
Intercropping is an agricultural practice defined as growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece of land with a distinct or definite row arrangement [4]. This spatial arrangement aims to utilize the space between rows of the main crop to maximize productivity per unit area [4]. It differs from mixed cropping, which involves growing multiple crops simultaneously without any definite row pattern or fixed ratio [3]. While intercropping focuses on spatial diversity and efficient resource utilization, crop rotation involves a temporal succession of different crops on the same land over planned seasons. Common examples of intercropping include planting pigeon pea with sorghum or jowar with tur in specific row patterns to ensure complementary growth and reduce competition between the component crops [2].
Sources
- [1] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 25: Agriculture > Intercropping > p. 357
- [4] Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > CROPPING PATTERN > p. 307
- [2] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.2 Farming System and Cropping Pattern in India > p. 337
- [3] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 25: Agriculture > Difference between inter cropping and mixed cropping > p. 359