Cropping

Patterns and
Cropping
Systems
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 Table of Contents
1 Cropping Pattern ................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Types of Cropping Patterns ........................................................................................................... 4
1.1.1 Monoculture or Monocropping ............................................................................................ 5
1.1.2 Multiple Cropping ................................................................................................................. 5
1.1.3 Types of Multiple Cropping ................................................................................................... 5
2 Cropping System ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Rice based Cropping System ......................................................................................................... 7
2.1.1 Types of Rice based Cropping System................................................................................... 7
2.2 Root based Cropping system ........................................................................................................ 8
2.3 Grain-legume based Cropping system .......................................................................................... 8
2.4 Maize based Cropping system ...................................................................................................... 8
2.5 Wheat based cropping system...................................................................................................... 9
2.6 Sugarcane based Cropping Systems ............................................................................................. 9
3 Multistoreyed or Multi level cropping ................................................................................................ 10
3.1 Advantages of multi-storied cropping system ............................................................................ 10
3.2 Disadvantages of multi-storied cropping .................................................................................... 10

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 Lets have a look at the following set of differences between Farming Systems and Cropping systems
before proceeding any further.

Cropping system Farming system

The cropping patterns used on a farm and their
interaction with farm resources, other farm
enterprises and available technology which
determines their make-up is called cropping
system.
Includes, monocropping, multiple cropping,
intercropping etc…
Here there is no recycling of crop residues.
Cropping system mitigating adverse effects of
aberrant weather.
Examples: rice based cropping system, wheat
based cropping system, oilseed based cropping
system, and sugarcane based cropping system.
Some indices are available to evaluate cropping
system.
Farming systems represent integration of farm
enterprises such as cropping systems, animal
husbandry, fisheries, etc., for optimal utilisation of
resources leading to remunerative farming.
Includes, dairy, piggery, crops etc…
Farming system follows crop residues recycling,
Farming system doesn’t mitigate adverse effects
of aberrant weather.
Examples: wet land based farming system; dry
land based farming system, garden land farming
system.
There are no special indices or index not available
to evaluate farming system.

1 Cropping Pattern
✓ Cropping pattern is a dynamic concept because it changes over space and time.
✓ It can be defined as the proportion of area under various crops at a point of time.
✓ In other words, it is a yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of sowing and fallow on a given area.
In India, the cropping pattern determined by rainfall, climate, temperature, soil type and
technology.
✓ So, we can say that it is combination of crops in time and space.

1.1 Types of Cropping Patterns

Now let us discuss about various types of Cropping Patterns.

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 1.1.1 Monoculture or Monocropping
✓ If the land is occupied by one crop during one season, the cropping pattern would be Monocropping
(space sequence).
✓ If the land is occupied by one crop during one season and next season and next to next season (same
crop grown year after year), the cropping pattern would be monoculture (Time sequence).

1.1.2 Multiple Cropping

Growing two or more crops on the same field in a year. This is a method of intensification of cropping in
time and space dimensions. Before we discuss the types of multiple cropping, we shall have a look at the
concept of Intensive Cropping and crop rotation:

1.1.2.1 Intensive farming

✓ It is an agricultural intensification and mechanization system that aims to maximize yields from
available land through various means, such as heavy use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

1.1.2.2 Crop rotation

In crop rotation, crops are changed from year to year according to a planned sequence.

This can be better understood with the help of an example.

For Example: Some insect pests and disease-causing organisms are hosts' specific. For example, rice
stem borer feeds mostly on rice. If you don't rotate rice with other crops belonging to a different
family, the problem continues as food is always available to the pest. However, if you plant legume as
the next crop, then corn, then beans, then bulbs, the insect pest will likely die due to absence of food.

Advantages of crop rotation

✓ Prevents soil depletion and maintains soil fertility

✓ Reduces soil erosion and reduces reliance on synthetic chemicals
✓ Controls insect/mite pests. Crop rotation as a means to control to insect pests is most effective.
✓ Reduces the pests' build-up, Prevents diseases and helps control weeds

1.1.3 Types of Multiple Cropping

There are two types of Multiple cropping systems

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 1.1.3.1 Sequential Cropping
✓ Sequential cropping refers to growing of two or more crops in sequence on the same piece of land
in a farming year (one after the other).
✓ On the basis of number of crops in a year, it is called double, triple or quadruple cropping.
✓ Examples of double cropping are Rice-Potato, Rice-mustard; Examples of triple sequential cropping
include Rice-Potato-Groundnut; Examples of Quadruple sequential cropping is Short duration rice-
mustard-mungbean-short duration rice

Under this we shall study about Ratoon cropping:

✓ Ratoon cropping is growing a fresh crop from the stubbles or suckers of the plant crop without
replanting. It is also referred to as stubble cropping, re-harvesting, second crop, etc.
✓ When we cut crops, some crops have the tendency to resprout, which is called rationing.
✓ Perfect example of ratoon crop is sugarcane, in this method when the cane is harvested, a portion
of stalk is left underground to give rise to a succeeding growth of cane, the ratoon or stubble crop.
The basal part of plants and especially cereal grasses remaining attached to the soil after harvest is
called as Stubble.

1.1.3.2 Intercropping
✓ Intercropping refers to growing of two or more crops in same field at the same time.
✓ It is again of 4 types

1. Mixed intercropping: Growing two or more crops 2. Row intercropping: It involves the component crops
simultaneously with no distinct row arrangement. arranged in alternate rows.

3. Strip intercropping: Growing two or more

crops simultaneously in strips wide enough to
permit independent cultivation but narrow 4. Relay intercropping: Growing two or more crops
enough for the crops to interact agronomically.simultaneously during the part of the lifecycle of each.
A second crop is planted after the first crop has reached
its reproductive stage of growth, but, before it is ready
for harvest. Thus both the crops share some part of the
season.

Companion cropping: A secondary crop planted to increase or hasten returns on a plot of land is called
as Companion cropping. Ex: Sugarcane+ Toria. Much of the space between two rows of sugarcane
remains unutilized for an initial period of 100-120 days, because of slow growth. Companion cropping
offers opportunity for profitable utilization of available space.

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 2 Cropping System
✓ Cropping system refers to cropping pattern as well as its interaction with resources; technology,
environment etc.
✓ Thus, a cropping system comprises cropping pattern plus all components required for the production
of a particular crop and the interrelationships between them and environment.
✓ It is executed in the field level and is of 3 types (Rice based, Root based and Legume grain based)

2.1 Rice based Cropping System

✓ RICE-based cropping system can be described as mix of farming practices that comprises of rice as
the major crop followed by subsequent cultivation of other crops.
✓ It is a major cropping system practiced in India, which include the rotation of crops involving
cereals, pulses, oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane, green manures, vegetable etc.
✓ In rice growing areas, several crop combinations (cropping systems) are in practice based on agro-
ecological conditions, market and domestic needs and facilities available with farmers.
Rice under
Irrigated Upland integrated farming
condictions condition system
Rice-Rice-Rice Rice-Chickpea Rice-Fish-Poultry
Rice-Rice-Cereal Rice-Lentil Rice-Fish-Duckery
Rice-Rice-Pulses Rice-Mustard
Rice-Wheat-Pulses Rice-Barley
Rice-Toria-Wheat Rice-Wheat
Rice-Wheat Rice-Pea
Rice-Mustard

2.1.1 Types of Rice based Cropping System

2.1.1.1 Mixed varietal cropping of rice

✓ System of mixing seed of early rice with late maturing deep-water rice is being practices in West
Bengal to avoid total crop loss at the event of flood.
✓ The seed of both the types of mixed in 1:1 ratio and has given higher yield than sole cropping of
either type.
✓ Similarly, growing of a mixture of autumn and winter varieties in 3:1 ratio in Tamil Nadu and
Kerala is frequently in practice.

2.1.1.2 Intercropping rice with other crops:

✓ It is a common practice under upland conditions in north and north-eastern part of India to grow
rice intercropped with blackgram, greengram, sesame, maize, finger millet or other minor millets.
✓ The ratio of rice and intercrop is preferred to be 3-4:1.

2.1.1.3 Relay/paira/utera cropping:

✓ The seed of succeeding crops like lentil, gram, pea, lathyrus, berseem, linseed etc. is sown broadcast
in maturing rice crop.
✓ This practice saves time; money (to be spent on land preparation etc.) and utilizes residual fertility.

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 2.1.1.4 Sequential cropping in rice:
✓ Sequential cropping refers to the crops grown as preceding or succeeding with rice.

2.2 Root based Cropping system

✓ The Root Crop Farming System is a type of Farming system wherein Root crops or Tuber crops like
Cassava, Sweet Potato etc., are grown in rotation with Rice or Maize. Most suitable land for this
type of cropping system is largely moist sub-humid and humid agro-ecological zones.
✓ This farming system is not one of the most highly rates systems in terms of drought. The length of
the growing in this system is also fairly long.
✓ This is commonly followed in some African countries, viz., Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon.

2.3 Grain-legume based Cropping system

✓ Grain legumes fulfil important roles in cropping systems as sources of nitrogen for the following crop,
in terms of phytosanitary effects in the crop rotation and for supporting farm biodiversity.
✓ Grain legumes such as cowpeas, soybeans, groundnuts, Red gram, Black gram, Green gram, Alfalfa
and common beans are commonly grown as mono crop, intercrop or in rotation with other crops in
the sub-humid and semi-arid zones.
✓ The contribution of grain legumes to biological nitrogen fixation varied widely depending on the
crop, variety and the management practices adopted.
✓ Example: In West, east and South African countries, as per studies conducted, the choice of an
improved variety of cowpea increased N-fixed by 120 kg per hectare, while the application of 30 kg P
per hectare has increased the N-fixed by 58 kg per hectare.

There are few more important cropping system followed in India, that is Maize based Cropping system,
Wheat based Cropping Systems and Sugarcane based Cropping sytems.

2.4 Maize based Cropping system

✓ Maize has wide adaptability and compatibility under diverse soil and climatic conditions. Hence, it
is cultivated in sequence with different crops under various agro-ecologies of the country.
✓ Among different maize based cropping systems, Maize-Wheat ranks 1st having maximum area
mainly concentrated in rainfed ecologies.

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 ✓ The other major Maize systems in India are Maize-Mustard, Maize-Chickpea, Maize-Maize, Cotton-
Maize.
✓ Rice-Maize has emerged a potential maize based cropping system in peninsular and eastern India.
✓ Compared to existing cropping systems like Rice-Wheat and Rice-Rice, Maize based cropping
systems are better user of available resources and the water use efficiency of maize based
cropping systems was about 100 to 200 % higher at different locations.

2.5 Wheat based cropping system

✓ One of the major cropping systems in wheat based cropping system is Wheat- Rice cropping
system.
✓ The Rice-Wheat based Cropping Systems (RWCS) in India have significantly contributed in
enhancing the food grain production and achieving the food self-sufficiency and food security.
✓ Major Rice-Wheat growing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, and
West Bengal.
✓ Few other Wheat based Cropping systems: Wheat –Chickpea; Wheat –fallow; Wheat-Rice-Wheat;
Wheat-Green manure-Wheat; Wheat-fallow-Wheat.

Major issues faced under Wheat based Cropping Systems are:

✓ Over mining of nutrients from soil

✓ Disturbed soil aggregates due to puddling in rice
✓ Decreasing response to nutrients
✓ Declining ground water table
✓ Build up of diseases/pests, weeds like Phalaris minor
✓ Low input use efficiency in north western plains

2.6 Sugarcane based Cropping Systems

✓ When sugarcane is mono-cropped even with large quantities of applied inputs, as balance between
removal and addition is not maintained in all nutrients, the soil gets depleted of some nutrients
excessively. This leads to stunted growth of the crop, poor leaf area development and low light
interception and consequently the harvesting of solar energy is also low.
✓ Combining crops with sugarcane in time and space helps in balanced use of both natural resources
and applied inputs, facilitates development and maintenance of optimum leaf area throughout
leading to maximum harvesting of solar energy and sustainable crop production.
✓ Cultivation of sugarcane in a sequence with other crops can minimize all the ill-effects observed in
mono-cropping of sugarcane.
✓ Crops suitable for growing in sequence with sugarcane under tropical conditions are Rice, Banana,
Turmeric, Groundnut, Cowpea, Black gram, Green gram, Soybean, Daincha, Sunn-hemp.
✓ For sustainable agriculture in areas where sugarcane is a dominant crop, either a 3-year or 4-year
crop sequence should be adopted. Of these, two years will be occupied by one plant plus one
ratoon crop of sugarcane while in the remaining one- or two-years compatible crops could be grown
in sequence with sugarcane.

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 ✓ In garden-land conditions, crops like Maize, Finger millet, Pulses, Groundnut, Sesame, Sunflower,
Cotton etc. could be grown.
✓ In wetland conditions, crops like Rice, Turmeric, Banana, Groundnut, and Pulses would be ideal.

3 Multistoreyed or Multi level cropping

✓ Two or more crops of different heights are grown simultaneously on a piece of land in a certain
period.
✓ Sunlight, nutrient, land, water, and space are utilized in the most efficient and economic way.
✓ Increased biological diversity and higher production stability.
✓ Improve soil health and physical property of soil.
✓ Examples: Coconut-black pepper-Cacao-Pineapple, Coconut-Jackfruit-coffee-Papaya-Pineapple,
Coconut-Papaya-Pineapple etc.,

3.1 Advantages of multi-storied cropping system

✓ Better use of growth resources including sunlight, nutrient and water.
✓ Yield stability (suppress the growth of weeds).
✓ Ecological stability i.e. improved soil health and agro-ecosystem.
✓ Flow of income during cropping periods.
✓ Other miscellaneous benefits like distribution of labour, physical support of one crop to another
etc.,

3.2 Disadvantages of multi-storied cropping

✓ Labour intensive.
✓ Chemical control of weeds, pests and diseases may be difficult.
✓ Difficulty in mechanization.
✓ Adverse competitive effect or by allelopathy.

Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an organism produces one or more biochemicals

that influence the germination, growth, survival, and reproduction of other organisms. These
biochemicals are known as allelochemicals and can have beneficial or detrimental effects on the
target organisms and the community.

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