Cropping systems involve the cropping patterns and interactions between crops, farm resources, and other farm activities. The document discusses different types of cropping systems including mono-cropping, multiple cropping, intercropping, mixed cropping, and sequence cropping. Intercropping of sorghum with legumes like cowpea is described as improving fodder quality and soil health. A cropping system of sorghum+cowpea with a 2:2 row ratio is mentioned as an example.

1. Cropping system
Cropping system is an important component of farming system. It represent cropping
patterns used on a farm and their interaction with farm resources, other farm
enterprises and available technology which determine their make up
Cropping pattern
Dairy and other enterprises
Farm Resources-
Irrigation facilities
Farm Resources-Farm power and machineries-Farm Mechanisation
Marketing facilities and
opportunities
House Hold requirement
Farm Resources-Size of the farm
Cropping pattern: It indicates the yearly sequence and spatial
arrangement of crops and fallows in an area. It means proportion of
area under various crop at a point of time in a unit area.
Dr P K Mukherjee
ICAR-IVRI, Bareilly

2. Types of cropping system
• Mono cropping-Growing of only one crop on a pieces of land year after year.
• Multiple cropping: Growing two or more crops on the same piece of land in one
calendar year. It indicated intensification of cropping in time and space.
Multiples cropping includes intercropping, mixed cropping and sequence cropping
• Intercropping: Growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the same piece
of land with a definite row pattern
• Mixed cropping: Growing of two or more crops simultaneously intermingled
without any row pattern.
• Sequence cropping: Growing of two or more crops in sequence on the same
piece of land in a farming year.
Dr P K Mukherjee
ICAR-IVRI, Bareilly

3. Intercropping of sorghum with forage legumes, improves quality of fodder and
soil health. Forage legumes like cowpea and guar are commonly grown in
association. Row proportion of 2:2 has been found ideal for balanced green
biomass production and forage quality.
Forage pearl millet is grown in association with guar, cowpea and lablab in semi-arid to
arid areas. The intercropping of pearl millet + cowpea in 1:1 row ratio has been found
superior in most of the growing situations.
Sorghum+ Cowpea- intercropping row proportion 2:2
Dr P K Mukherjee
ICAR-IVRI, Bareilly

4. Maize is inter-cropped with
cowpea and it is preferred in
entire growing tracts. For
intercrop, 30 kg maize + 20 kg
cowpea/ha should be sown in
paired alternate rows (2:2) or
2:3.
Raising berseem, inter-planted
with Hybrid Napier in spring and
intercropping the inter-row
spaces of the grass with cowpea
during summer after the final
harvest of berseem.
Dr P K Mukherjee
ICAR-IVRI, Bareilly
Maize+cowpea intercropping with 2:3 ratio
Under irrigated condition intercropping system have been identified
• For increasing herbage yield
• Improving forage quality
• Reducing fertilizer requirement (Large quantity of N requirement is saved due to
legume intercropping)
• Ensuring better land utilization.
Under assured irrigation multiple cropping sequences like
sorghum+cowpea-berseem+mustard-maize+cowpea and sorghum
(multicut)+cowpea-berseem+mustard are promising.

5. As intercrops in widely spaced
row crops: Cotton, sugarcane and
grain crop of maize and sorghum
offer scope for growing short
statured forage crops like cowpea,
moth bean and guar (clusterbean)
in the interspaces without
affecting their yield.
Fodder
cowpea
Grain maize Grain maize
20 cm 20 cm20 cm
Grain maize
Fodder
cowpea
Fodder
cowpea
20 cm 20 cm20 cm
Fodder
cowpea
After 45 to 50 DAS
Grain maize Grain maizeGrain maize
60 cm
Dr P K Mukherjee
IVRI, Bareilly
Integration of forage production with food and other crops
Dual purpose crops:
Preference may be
given to grow dual-
purpose crops in the
cropping scheme so as
to get substantial
amounts of forage
along with main
product (grain).
Among vegetables,
turnip, carrot, pea,
cauliflower, cowpea,
guar etc. while
commercial crops
maize for cobs and
sugarcane are
important.

6. Fodder maize Fodder maize Fodder maize
Grain maize Grain maize Grain maize Grain maize
Maize (grain) can be planted at 30 cm spacing, alternate rows may be
harvested for forage 45-50 days after planning to get sufficient amount of
green forage.
30 cm
60 cm
Grain maize Grain maize Grain maize Grain maize
After 45 to 50 DAS
Dr P K Mukherjee
IVRI, Bareilly

7. Salient feature of forage crops:
The knowledge of salient feature of forage crops would be useful in
understanding the techniques of their management and tailoring the cultural
and fertilizer schedule for increased forage production. The important
characters are:
• Short growth period
• Grown in closer spacing with high seed rate.
• Dense stand to smother weeds and prevent soil erosion.
• Improve soil health through addition of higher amount organic residue in the
soil.
• Crop duration could be adjusted and risk due to aberrant weather condition
minimised.
• High persistence and regeneration capacity reduce the need for frequent
sowing and tillage.
• Crop management differ with the purpose of growing forage and mode of
utilization.
• Wider adaptability with the capacity to grow under stress condition.
• Economic viability depends upon secondary production (livestock product)
• High nutrient and water requirement under intensive cropping.
• Shy seed producer, poor harvest index and narrow seed multiplication ratio.
• The cost of cultivation goes down in subsequent cut in case of multicut
and/or perennial forage as well as in forage-cum seed crops.
Dr P K Mukherjee
ICAR-IVRI, Bareilly

8. Mixed cropping of Berseem and Gobhi Sarson