- one crop is planted in small areas over a period of time so that only a little matures
at a time. In this way a continuous supply of that crop is provided over a long
period.
Intercropping
Intercropping is the farming practice where two or more crops are grown together
simultaneously.
There are four main types of intercropping:
Row intercropping —where the crops are grown in distinct rows;
Mixed intercropping— where the crops are grown mixed together, without rows.
Multistorey intercropping—where the crops which are grown are very different in
height, such as peppers growing under bananas.
Relay intercropping—where the crops are grown in sequence, one or more of them
being planted before, during or after the harvest of the others. An example of a three-
crop relay system is shown below.
An example of relay intercropping, with 3 crops
October November December January February March April May
_____ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣
_____ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣
KEY
This kind of information can be clearly displayed on a Cropping Calendar (Crop Year
Table), described previously in 1Ga, page 59.
Advantages of Mixed Cropping
The advantages of mixed cropping outlined below are particularly relevant in poor soil
in drier regions:
- The different leaf arrangements and heights of the different crops utilise the
sunlight more efficiently. - The different root systems and their depth of penetration utilise the available water
and nutrients more efficiently. - If legumes are grown, the other crops benefit from the fixed nitrogen.
- Crops suffer less from pests and diseases, which cannot spread so easily when their
host plants are separated by other species.
_ = haricot beans (80 days)—planted late October, harvested mid-January
♣ = sesame (100 days)—planted late January, harvested mid-late May
- = local sorghum (200-210 days)—planted early-mid October, harvested mid-late May