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1. Mixed cropping & Inter cropping
Prepared by: Hazrat Gulab “Gulab” , M.S.C student of
Agronomy Department
Instructor Lecture: Professor, Ph.D Dr. Esmatullah Durani
Date: /01/2024
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Ministry of Higher Education
Nangarhar University
Agriculture
Master Program in Agronomy

2. Topics to be explained
 Mixed Cropping
 Principle of mixed cropping
 Mixed cropping Sowing methods
 Examples of classic and modern mixed crops
 Inter cropping
 Type of intercropping sowing
 Advantages of intercropping
 Disadvantages of intercropping
 Difference between- intercropping and mixed cropping

3. Mixed Cropping
 In mixed cropping and intercropping, growing of two or
more crop species or cultivars takes place simultaneously in
the same field
This system of cropping is practiced in area where climate
hazards such as flood, drought, frost etc are frequent and
common . The farmers fear that their crops will fail .
 Mixed cropping is also practiced with a view to achieve
multiple requirements of food and fiber.
 Farmers generally sown sarson on the borders of wheat
fields to harvest sarson for greens during initial stages.
 Under mixed cropping ,the time of sowing of all the crop is
almost the same However, the mature either together
(wheat+gram, wheat+barly or wheat+ mustard) or they may
mature at different times (arher+jawar, til+mung or
bajra+groundnut)

4. Principle of mixed cropping
 All crops do not fail under adverse climate condition
 An epidemic attack of any insect, pest or disease kills
only one crop without affecting the rest of the crops.
 The farmers grow different crops which fulfill their daily
need or demand for cereal, pulses and oilseeds.
 It improves or maintains the soil fertility.
 Family labour and cattle are employed throughout the
whole year.
 Legume and non legume mixture increase the fodder
quantity and quality both.
 It reduces cost of cultivation

5. Mixed cropping
 Based method of sowing mixed cropping classified into
the following groups
 1- Mixed crops:
In this case the seeds of the different crops are mixed
together and then sown either in the lines or they are
broadcasted. The system is not scientific and cause
problems in performing all the agricultural operations and
harvesting of the crops

6. Method of sowing mixed
cropping
 2- companion crops:
Under this method the seed
of different crops are not
mixed together but different
crop s are sown in the
different rows I,e between
two rows of mustard five to
eight row of wheat,
or between two rows of
arhar two three rows of
groundnut are sown. This
method of sowing facilitates
in weeding , intercultural,
plant protection and even in
harvesting

7. 3- Guard crops
under this system of
cropping the main crop is
grown in the center
,surrounding by hardy or
thomy crops such as
safflower around pea or
wheat. Mesta ( jowar
around maiz etc with a
view to provide protection
to the main crop

8. Method of sowing mixed
cropping
 4- Augmenting crops:
When sub cropping are
sown to supplement the
yield the main crop , the
crop , the sub crops are
called as augmting crops
such as Japanese mustard
with berseem, here the
mustard helps in the getting
higher tonnage of fodder in
spite of the fact that
berseem gives poor yield in
fist cutting.

9. Classic mixed cropping three
sisters
 The classic example of
mixed cropping is that
of the American three
sisters: maize, beans,
and cucurbits (squash
and pumpkins)

10. Modern mixed cropping

11. Inter cropping
Growing two or more crops
simultaneously on the same field per
year.Exp wheat Mustard wheat Rye

12. Type of intercropping sowing
i)- Parallel cropping:
Under this cropping two
crops are selected which
have different growth
habits and have a zero
competition between each
other and both of them
express their full yield
potential.
E.g 1- green gram or balck
gram with maiz
2- green gram or soybean
with cotton

13. Type of intercropping
 ii)- companion cropping:
in companion cropping the yield of one crop is not effected
by other. In other words , the yield of both crops is equal to
their pure crops, that the standard plant population of both
crops is maintained.
e.g: 1-Mustard, wheat, potato, etc. with sugarcane
2- wheat, radish, cabbage, sugar beat etc., with potato

14. Type of intercropping
iii)- strip inter-cropping:
Growing two or more crops
simultaneously in different
strips wide enough to
permit independent
cultivation
strip intercropping system
involving three crops:
maize, soybean, and oat.
The crops are rotated
among strips each year in a
3-year rotation cycle. Maize
strips consist

15. Type of inter cropping
 V)- Multistoried cropping or
multi-tire cropping
Growing plants of different
height in same field at the same
time is termed as multistoried
cropping.
It is mostly practiced in orchards
and plantation crops for
maximum use of solar energy
even under high planting density
a)- sugarcan + potato + Onion
b)- sugarcane + Mustard + potato
d)- coconut + pineapple +
turmeric/ ginger

16. Advantages of intercropping
 Inter cropping gives higher income per unit area than sole
cropping.
 It acts as an insurance against failure of crop in abnormal
year.
 Intercrop maintain soil fertility as the nutrient uptake is
made from both layers
 Reduce soil runoff
 Better control of weeds, pest, and disease
 One crop provide physical support to the other crop
 One crop provides shelter to the other crop
 Erosion control through providing continuous leaf cover
over the ground surface. And it is the small farmers of
limited means who is most likely to benefit.

17. Disadvantages of intercropping
 Yield decrease because of adverse competition effect
 Allelopathic effect
 Create obstruction in the free use of machine for
intercultural operation.
 Large farmers with adequate resource may likely to get
less benefit out of intercropping

18. Difference between- intercropping
and mixed cropping
Mixed cropping
 To get at least one crop
under favorable condition
 All crops are cared equally
 There is competition
between all crops growing
 The crops are almost of the
same duration
 The sowing time is the same
for all crops.
 Either sown in row or mixed
without considering the
population of either
Intercropping
 The main object is to utilize the
space left between two rows of
main crop.
 More emphasis is given to the
main crop.
 There is no competition between
both crops
 Intercrops are of the short
duration and are harvested much
arlier then the main crop.
 Sowing time maybe same or
different
 Crops are sown in different rows
without effecting the population
of the main crop when sown as
sole crop

19. The
End