Basic overview of major cropping systems

1. Cropping Systems
Andrew College
RAG 200
Dr. Apanovich

2. Polyculture
Polyculture are cultivated
systems in which two or
more crops area grown in a
given area at the same time.

3. Conservation Agriculture
No-till soybeans growing in the
residue of a harvested maize
crop.

4. Strip Intercropping

5. Alley Cropping

6. Vetiver
Vetiver, known as the
living nail of slope
stabilization in Ethiopia.
It is planted for contour
hedgerows, erosion
control, wastewater
treatment, dune
stabilization, rice paddy
borders, and more.

7. Windbreaks

8. Riparian Buffers
Riparian buffers protect
water quality and can include
productive perennial crops.

9. Swidden
In swidden, or shifting cultivation,
the landscape is managed as a
mosaic of different successional
stages. A patch of forest is cleared,
usually by burning, and annual and
short-lived perennial crops are grown
for one to three years. After this the
land is allowed to revert to forest for
5 to 20 fallow years, rebuilding soil
fertility. Then the cycle beings again.

10. Successional Intercropping
Successional intercropping is the
cultivation of sun-loving short-lived crops
such as annuals or short-lived perennials
into new tree crop plantings. Successional
intercropping takes advantage of available
sunlight before trees grow large and
provides an early yield as well.
An example of a successional intercropping
system in taungya, which was developed in
colonial Burma with annual crops grown
during establishment of timber
plantations.

11. Multistrata Agroforests
Multistata agroforests are
forest-like systems that feature
multiple layers of trees, often
with the incorporation of
herbaceous perennials, annual
crops, and livestock.

12. Terraces
Terraces are walls or other structures
that create level planting areas on
slopes. They are an ancient practice
that developed independently in
agricultural regions around the world.

13. Keyline Design
Keyline design was developed in
Australia in the 1950s by P.A.
Yeomans as a way to maximize
water resources on farms through
landform analysis. Keyline can
include construction of ponds in
strategic locations, slightly off-
contour subsoil plowing and
perennial plantings, and managed
grazing.