What is Mixed Cropping?
Mixed cropping is also referred to as polyculture. Mixed cropping can be defined as the practice of growing two or more crops on the same piece of land at the same time. Mixed cropping is a very ancient method of preventing crop loss due to unusual weather conditions. This method minimizes the chance that one of the crops will fail and provides protection against crop failure brought on by unusual weather. In a mixed-cropping situation, one crop may be the main crop while the others might be a subsidiary. The goal of mixed cropping is to obtain products from at least one crop. In the case that one crop fails due to fertilizer deficiency or excessive rainfall, the other crop can resolve the danger. Crops for mixed cropping are selected based on their water and nutrient needs as well as the amount of time needed for growth and ripening. It has been demonstrated that mixed cropping creates a rich, biodiverse ecosystem that supports a diversity of species and habitats for animals as well as beneficial insect species like butterflies and bees. Even in comparison to other cropping patterns, it gives a higher yield. One example of mixed cropping is growing wheat along with gram.
Difference Between Mixed Cropping and Intercropping
A plant is considered to be a crop that is widely gathered for financial gain and is farmed or grown on a big and small scale. Moreover, crops are raised to be traded on the open market. A cropping pattern is the percentage of land that is being cultivated for different crops at various times. Cropping pattern is a dynamic idea that varies throughout time and space. Cropping patterns vary from one area to another. It is influenced by the soils, the quantity and frequency of rain, the amount and slope of the terrain, the topography, the slope, the temperature, and the availability of irrigation water. Cropping systems are of three types:
- Monocropping: Monocropping is the practice of producing only one type of crop at a time on a specific plot of land.
- Mixed cropping: Mixed cropping can be defined as the practice of growing two or more crops on the same piece of land at the same time.
- Intercropping: It refers to the practice of simultaneously cultivating two or more crops nearby on the same plot of land using particular row patterns.