Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices Module VII: Cropping Systems Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices After completing this Lesson, you have learned to answer: Define intercropping system? What should be the features of an ideal intercropping system? List useful intercropping systems for pearl millet cultivation? What is mixed cropping? Why farmers practice mixed cropping? Why intercropping is a better system than mixed cropping? Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices

Adverse weather conditions like delay in the onset of rains and/or failure of rains for few days to weeks some time or other during the crop period is very common in the rainfed pearl millet growing areas.

Such situation results in economic losses to the farmers due to the partial or total failure of pearl millet crop. To over come this situation there is need to adopt or follow pearl millet based cropping systems like intercropping or mixed cropping in rainfed pearl millet growing areas.

pearl millet-Groundnut Intercropping refers to growing more than one crop in the same land area in rows of definite proportion and pattern. pearl millet-Groundnut Intercropping

With particular reference to dry land agriculture, an intercropping system needs to be designed in such a way that in the case of unfavorable weather, at least one crop will survive to give economic yields. Thus, intercropping system should provide for the necessary insurance against unpredictable weather.

In case the year happens to be normal with respect to rainfall, the intercropping system, as a whole, should prove to be more profitable than growing either of the crops alone.

An ideal intercropping should aim to: Produce higher yields per unit area through better use of natural resources; Offer greater stability in production under adverse weather conditions and with disease and insect infestation; Meet the domestic needs of the farmer; Provide an equitable distribution of farm resources.

The following intercropping practices were found to be remunerative than sole crop of pearl millet even under drought or more than normal rainfall in AP. Pearl millet + Red gram (pigeonpea) 2:1 ratio Pearl millet + Groundnut 2:4 ratio Pearl millet + Soybean 4:2 ratio Pearl millet + Sunflower 4:2 ratio (2:1 ratio indicates 2 rows of pearl millet and one row of the other crop)

Pearl millet-Groundnut Pearl millet and Groundnut inter cropping system is recommended to farmers to meet the fodder needs of cattle and milch animals. Pearl millet-Groundnut Intercropping

While maintaining the yield levels of the sole crop of pearl millet, additional yields with the intercropping component have been realized under various systems. Since a food legume is involved in most of the systems, it will not only enhance the income of the farmer, but would also provide with the much-needed protein to supplement the predominantly cereal diet of farmers.

Pearl millet mixed with many other crops Mixed cropping refers to simultaneously growing more than one crop in the same land area as a mixture.

Unlike in intercropping system, in mixed cropping the crops are grown without any definite proportion or pattern.

Mixed cropping of pearl millet-pigeonpea is most common. Mixtures with green gram (mung), black gram (urid), cowpea and even with sorghum and other cereals, vegetables, etc. during kharif are practiced under different situations.

Mixed cropping is practiced in traditional subsistence farming to meet the domestic needs of the farmer's family. Thus, the number of crops grown mixed varies depending on the family needs.

Can you identify the number and name of the crops in this field? Module VII: Cropping Systems Module 7: Cropping Systems Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices Can you identify the number and name of the crops in this field? Click on the picture to check your guess. Course on pearl millet Production Practices Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices

Even though crops in the mixed cropping meets the farmer’s family needs, the yield of crops will be very low due to the competition between the crops for water, light, nutrients etc. A better cropping system will be adopting intercropping system involving the major crops. However, the crop plants required to meet the family needs could still be grown on the field bunds, on the field borders, and in the house back yards.

Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices Module VII: Cropping Systems Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics The Lesson 2 - Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices, and also this Module on Cropping Systems for pearl millet cultivation concludes. If you like to check your understanding about cropping systems for pearl millet cultivation, please click on “Exercise” button in Module VII contents. Next, Module VIII in this course is about sowing techniques in pearl millet. Select Module VIII from Course contents Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices

Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices Module VII: Cropping Systems Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices Nine crops in the field are: Pearl millet Maize, Sunflower, Ragi, 2 Sorghum types Groundnut 2 Green leaf Vegetables a.Hibiscus(Gongura) b.Amaranthus (Totakura) Click on the picture to go back to the lesson Course on Pearl Millet Production Practices