Cropping Patterns - Types and Their Advantages

Cropping Patterns - Types and Their Advantages

Aug 09, 2023, 16:45 IST

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The topic of Cropping Patterns will be covered in this article. A cropping pattern is the percentage of land cultivated for different crops at various times. This shows when and how the crops were planted on a specific acreage. In India, factors such as average rainfall, temperature, climate, technology, and the kind of agricultural soil are significant determinants of cropping patterns. To get the highest yield, many cropping methods are practiced.

This article will discuss the factors involving types, importance, historical factors of cropping patterns, crop rotation, and factors affecting cropping patterns.

Introduction

A cropping pattern that varies across time and space is an example of a dynamic idea. It can be characterized as the proportion of land that is consistently used for a variety of crops. In other words, it refers to a yearly cycle of sowing and harvesting in a particular area. Rainfall, climate, soil type, and technology impact India's crop patterns.

Using the principal crops as the base crop and all other potential alternative crops as the alternative crops, cropping patterns in India can be shown. To classify crops, it is essential to understand their agro-climatic characteristics. For instance, grains like wheat, barley, and oats are grouped.

Indian agriculture is determined by the types of soil and climatic factors that control the complete agroecological environment for subsistence and the suitability of a crop or group of crops for production. India's three distinct agricultural seasons are known as Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid. The Southwest Monsoon inaugurated the Kharif season, which permitted the cultivation of tropical crops such as rice, cotton, jute, jowar, bajra, and tur. Winter's arrival in October or November marks the start of the Rabi season, which lasts until March or April. Zaid, a brief summer farming season, starts after the crops for Rabi have been harvested.

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Types of Cropping Patterns

The following are some examples of the main cropping pattern types:

• Monocropping

Monocropping is the practice of cultivating just one type of crop at a time on land used for farming. Monoculture can devastate the soil's structure and impair its fertility. The use of chemical fertilizers is necessary to increase production. The spread of illnesses and pests is made possible by this approach. The terms "monoculture" and "monocropping" denote the same thing.

• Mixed Cropping

Mixed cropping is the simultaneous cultivation of two or more crops on land. For instance, mixed cropping is simultaneously producing wheat and gram on the same land. Applying this technique reduces the likelihood that one of the crops would fail and offers protection against crop failure caused by unusual weather.

The crops that are cultivated together should mature at various times and demand different amounts of water. Planting one tall crop and one dwarf crop simultaneously is recommended. The nutrients needed by one crop should be different from those required by another. The roots of one of the crops should be deep and the other shallow.

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Advantages of Mixed Cropping

• Increased crop output.
• There is less of a pest problem.
• Decrease in the likelihood of crop failure.
• The dirt is effectively used.
• Frequently, more than one type of crop is harvested at the same time.

• Intercropping

Growing only one crop on an identical field simultaneously while using a specific row pattern is known as intercropping. Three intercrops are frequently produced after one row of the main crop. As a result, productivity per area increases.

Types of Intercropping

• Row Intercropping: Row intercropping is the practice of planting crops in alternate rows. It aids in making the best use of the available land area and suppressing weeds while the primary crop is still in its early stages.
• Strip Intercropping: Strip intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops side by side in broad areas such that they can frequently be maintained independently. The crops are nevertheless close enough for interaction.
• Relay Intercropping: Relay intercropping is a sort of intercropping where a second crop is only grown after the first has flowered but before it has been harvested.

Advantages of Intercropping

• The soil's fertility is preserved.
• Pests and diseases are kept from spreading.
• Optimal use of the available resources.
• There is a reduction in the time and land needed to grow many crops.
• Maximum use of the soil's nutrient resources.
• A few crops produced as intercrops include lobea, bajra, and the two legumes, maize and soybean.

Importance of Cropping Pattern

• Increases Soil Fertility: Specific nutrients in the soil are depleted when the same crop variety is planted repeatedly. Every crop interacts differently with the soil's nutrients and releases and absorbs various nutrients.
• Increases Crop Yield: The cropping pattern increases the harvest from a single seasonal harvest. Because several crop varieties are used, one receives a general bountiful harvest each season and various crops. According to scientific research, crop yields through crop rotation, as opposed to monoculture, can rise by 10% to 25%.
• Increases Soil Nutrients: Cropping patterns enable the soil to replenish and renew its nutrients without using fertilizers to add extra nutrients. A season of bare land allows the earth to replenish the nutrients lost through plant absorption during the previous season's harvest.
• Reduces Soil Erosion: Because the roots of the plants hold the top layer of soil together, it helps lessen the impact of raindrops on the soil and overall water erosion. In farms, planting trees alongside crops also helps to minimize soil erosion.
• Improves the Soil Structure: Cropping Pattern aids in preventing soil compaction, hence enhancing the soil's physical state. Crop rotation enhances both the soil texture and structure. This makes for favorable circumstances for root growth and seed germination.
• Diversification and Reduced Cost of Production: Some crops require less effort and equipment to cultivate. It assists in spreading out the workload and resources utilized throughout the year, which lowers the cost of producing crops to some extent.

Historical Factors of Cropping Pattern

The cultivation of different crops over a long period for various historical causes is one historical component that defines a region's crop pattern. For instance, the British planted tea in Uttarakhand's Kangra Valley.

Although the circumstances are best in South India, sugarcane is produced more widely in North India. This is owing to the British encouraging sugarcane production as a substitute for indigo, which lost importance and its market in places like Uttar Pradesh due to the introduction of artificial colors.

Substantial changes in cropping patterns have resulted from crop diversification due to the post-Green Revolution overproduction of food grains. Pulses, oilseeds, rice and wheat also gained prominence.

Factors Affecting Cropping Pattern

The following elements influence the various kinds of cropping patterns:

• The cropping patterns influence agricultural productivity to some extent. This is a reflection of the local agriculture economy.
• The availability of agricultural inputs, agrarian policy changes, and technological advancements are all adversely affecting cropping patterns.
• Cropping patterns are key in enhancing soil fertility by raising crop yields. It ensures that the crops have access to nutrients as well as crop protection.
• Geographical factors, including relief, temperature, and soil.

Relief

• A region's cropping pattern is greatly influenced by relief.
• Tea and coffee plants can only be grown on slopes with sufficient drainage and adequate rainfall.
• In well-irrigated areas with a generally warm climate, rice (a tropical crop) and sugarcane predominate.

Temperature

• The majority of crops need a lower temperature when they are sown and a more significant temperature when they are maturing.
• Some crops are sown in the summer because they need warmer temperatures. The rainy season encompasses the majority of the growth period. Kharif crops are (rice, cotton, etc.). [They are planted right before the southwest monsoon burst]
• Other crops are sown in the winter and have lower temperature and moisture requirements (wheat). These crops go by the name of rabi.

Soil

• The soil in a given area plays a significant role in determining the cropping pattern.
• Edaphic conditions for the growth and development of various crops vary.
• Clayey soils are better for growing rice, whereas loamy soils are ideal for growing wheat.
• Cotton may be grown successfully on the Deccan Plateau thanks to its rich soil.

Crop Rotation

In this design, various crops are produced in pre-planned succession on equal amounts of land. Depending on how long they grow, the crops are divided into three categories based on how long they are rotated: one year, two years, and three years. To increase soil fertility, legumes are used in the crop rotation scheme. Frequently, the crops that require a high level of fertility are planted after the legumes. The crops with minimal input requirements are frequently cultivated following the ones with high input requirements.

Advantages of Crop Rotation

• For a considerable time, the soil fertility is preserved.
• It stops the spread of weeds and pests.
• There is no need for several chemical fertilizers.
• The soil's physical and chemical characteristics are unaltered.

Cropping Patterns FAQs

Q1. What is the meaning of the Cropping Pattern?

Ans. Cropping pattern is defined as the area of land under cultivation at various points. In India, factors like average rainfall, temperature, climate, technology, and the kind of agricultural soil are mostly responsible for determining the cropping pattern. To get the highest yield, many cropping methods are practiced.

Q2. Why do you think there are regional differences in cropping patterns?

Ans. Combinations and cropping patterns are dynamic concepts that alter over space and time. The cropping pattern and combination in every region depend on several characteristics, including the terrain, topography, slope, temperature, amount and reliability of rainfall, soil, and water availability for irrigation.

Q3. What is crop rotation? How are crops selected for rotation?

Ans. In this arrangement, various crops are grown in the same location in a pre-planned succession. The crops are divided into three categories based on their length: one-year rotation, two-year rotation, and three-year rotation. In the crop rotation system, legumes are utilized to increase soil fertility. Following the legumes, crops like wheat that require a lot of fertility can be grown. Small-input crops can be planted after those that require a lot of input.

Q4. What is the importance of crop rotation?

Ans. Crop rotation aids in regulating soil structure, nutrient levels, and pests that are carried by the soil into the garden. When a single crop is grown in the same location year after year, the same nutrients are continually consumed, causing the soil structure to deteriorate steadily. As these minerals are reduced over time, the soil eventually becomes unhealthy. On the other hand, insect pests that feed on a single crop and spend their larval stage in the soil multiply as long as their food source is present.

Q5. What is Intercropping?

Ans. Intercropping is the act of simultaneously growing various crops on the same plot of land in a specific row configuration. After one row of the primary crop, three rows of intercrops can be sown. This increases output per square foot.

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