Multistoried /multitier cropping system: As the name indicates, under this system two or more crops of different heights are grown simultaneously on a certain piece of land in any certain period of time. Thus land, water, and space are utilized in most efficient and economic way. Multistoried/ multitier cropping system aims at better use of the production components such as soil, water, air, space, radiation and other inputs on sustainable basis (Singh et al., 2014).

1. Multi-tier cropping system for profitability
and scalability in vegetable production
Dr. Shashank Shekhar Solankey
Assistant Professor-cum-Jr. Scientist
Department of Horticulture (Vegetable & Floriculture),
Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour (Bhagalpur) – 813 210, Bihar
E-mail: shashank.hort@gmail.com

2. Two or more crops of different heights are grown
simultaneously on a piece of land in a certain period.
Sunlight, nutrient, land, water, and space are utilized in
the most efficient and economic way.
Increased biological diversity and higher production
stability (Singh et al., 2014).
Improve soil health and physical property of soil.
Multi-storied /multi-tier/ multi-layer cropping system

3. Okra + Radish + Cluster Bean + Beet Root
Okra + Radish + Beetroot + Coriander
Pointed Gourd + Elephant Foot Yam + Cucumber
Banana + Cauliflower + Beet Root
Guava + Turmeric + Elephant Foot Yam
Elephant Foot Yam + Okra + Ridge Gourd
Potato + Sweet Corn + Okra
Papaya/ Banana + Elephant Foot Yam
Papaya/ Banana + Ginger + Colocasia
Sugarcane + Okra + Onion
Examples of vegetable based multi-storied
cropping system

4. Better use of growth resources including sunlight, nutrient and
water.
Yield stability (suppress the growth of weeds).
Ecological stability i.e. improved soil health and agro-ecosystem.
Flow of income during cropping periods.
Other miscellaneous benefits like distribution of labour, physical
support of one crop to another and home gardening leading to
more food supply.
Advantages of multi-storied cropping system

5. Labour intensive.
Chemical control of weeds, pests and diseases may be
difficult.
Difficulty in mechanization.
Adverse competitive effect or by allelopathy.
Disadvantages of multi-storied cropping

6. Elephant foot yam: A profitable crop for vegetable
based multi-tier cropping system
Pointed gourd + Elephant foot yam + Cowpea/ bitter gourd
Selection of varieties:
Elephant foot yam : Gajendra, Sree Padma, Kusum
Pointed gourd : Rajendra Parwal-1, Rajendra Parwal-2
Bitter gourd : Pusa Do Mausami, Pusa Vishesh
Cowpea : Kashi Kanchan, Kashi Gauri, Arka Garima

7. Elephant foot yam based multi-tier vegetable
cropping system
Source : Singh et al. (2013).
Technology identified for enhanced
productivity, Zonal Project Director
Zone II, Kolkata, W.B., pp. 13.
Vegetables like bitter gourd, ridge gourd and bottle
gourd were cultivated making bamboo structure
(machan).
The vacant space below the machan was fully utilized
in this method.
Bitter gourd and elephant foot yam - best in respect of
average return.

8. Sole crop of Elephant foot yam Elephant foot yam + Bitter gourd
Elephant foot yam + Ridge gourd Elephant foot yam + Bottle gourd
Elephant foot yam based multi-layer vegetable cropping system

9. Considering market price (per kg) of bitter gourd = Rs. 10, ridge gourd = Rs. 6,
bottle gourd = Rs. 3, Elephant foot yam = 15 and man days = Rs.150/ day.
Treatments
Yield (q/ha) Main Crop
Yield (q/ha) Companion
Crop
EFY Yield
Equivalent
2010-11 2011-12 Mean 2010-11 2011-12 Mean
Sole Elephant Foot Yam
(cv. Gajendra)
373.55 378.60 376.07 - - - -
Elephant Foot Yam +
Bitter gourd
(cv. Hybrid US6214)
372.00 376.50 374.25 138.80 137.50 138.15 92.10
Elephant foot yam +
Ridge gourd
(cv. local)
362.00 362.65 362.32 147.30 147.97 147.64 59.06
Elephant foot yam +
Bottle gourd
(cv. Hybrid Mahima)
327.40 333.10 330.25 251.60 247.90 249.75 49.95
CD at 5 % 8.39 5.50 6.94 8.47 9.27 4.25 -
Source: Singh, R.P., Bhushan S., Kumar S. and Shanker R (2013). Yield assessment of elephant
foot yam grown under multilayer vegetable cropping system. The Bioscan, 8(4): 1237-1239.
Table 1: Yield of elephant foot yam and companion crops under
multi-layer vegetable cropping system

10. Vegetable cultivation under
three-tier systems
Source : Srivastava A.P., Rao, D.R., Basade, Y., Singh A.K., Sikarwar M. and Ashar, N. (2013). Livelihood
Enhancement through Improved Vegetable Cultivation in Backward Districts of India National Agricultural
Innovation Project Indian Council of Agricultural Research Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan-II New Delhi, pp.
31-33.

11. Name of Technology
HH/ Area
demonstr
ated (ha)
Productivity (q/ha) Income (Rs/ha)
Bitter gourd +
Cowpea + Elephant
foot yam
130/35
Bitter gourd 273 q/ha + Cowpea
120 q/ha + Elephant foot yam 350
q/ha
3,60,000
Pointed gourd +
Okra + Cucumber
80/10
Pointed gourd 195 q/ha + Okra 135
q/ha + Cucumber 113 q/ha,
2,29,000
Pointed gourd +
Okra + Amaranths
56/7.2
Pointed gourd 203 q/ha + Okra 121
q/ha + Amaranths 77 q/ha
2,25,000
Traditional method
(Bitter gourd)
- 125-150 45000-50000
Table 2: Multi-tier vegetable cultivation in Bihar
Source : Srivastava A.P., Rao, D.R., Basade, Y., Singh A.K., Sikarwar M. and Ashar, N. (2013). Livelihood
Enhancement through Improved Vegetable Cultivation in Backward Districts of India National Agricultural
Innovation Project Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan-II New Delhi, pp.
31-33.

12. Turmeric and elephant foot yam as multi-tier
intercrops in medium aged guava orchard
Source : Chandra K.K. (2014). Evaluation of growth and economic parameters of Curcuma
longa and Amorphophallus paeoniifolius intercrops in medium aged Pisidium guajava orchard.
Caribbean Journal of Science and Technology, 2: 392-398.

13. Economic performances of C. longa and A. paeoniifolius as
intercrops under P. guajava orchard

14. Growing of multi-tier seed spices
with vegetable crops
Source : Kumari, G. (2014). Studies on intercropping of seed spices with vegetable crops. M.Sc.
(Ag.) Thesis, Department of Horticulture (Vegetable & Floriculture), Bihar Agricultural College,
Sabour, Bhagalpur-813 210, Bihar, pp. 1-75.
Vegetables Spices
1. Cabbage (var. Bajrang) 1. Coriander (var. Ajmer Coriander-1)
2. Garden Pea (var. Swarna Amar) 2. Funnel (var. Ajmer Funnel-1)
3. Carrot (var. Pusa Kesar) 3. Ajwain (var. Rajendra Mani)

15. Treatments Yield (kg/plot) Gross return
(Rs/ha)
Net return
(Rs/ha)
Benefit :
cost ratio
Pea (Sole) 7.69
85440
40610 0.91
Cabbage (Sole) 42.82 158580 109008 2.20
Carrot (Sole) 23.09 142768 93222 1.88
Coriander (Sole) 1.22 67680 21828 0.48
Fennel (Sole) 1.4
103680
59026 1.32
Ajwain (Sole) 0.85 78500 26370 0.51
Pea + Fennel 5.08 +0.729 110436 63323 1.34
Pea + Coriander 5.71+ 0.522 98196 50484 1.06
Pea + Ajwain 5.57+ 0.522 110284 63433 1.35
Cabbage + Fennel 35.78+ 0.631 179312 129570 2.60
Cabbage + Coriander 38.19 + 0.720 181460 131119 2.60
Cabbage + Ajwain 36.86+ 0.465 179604 130124 2.63
Carrot + Fennel 15.61 +0.462 159184 112084 2.38
Carrot + Coriander 13.76 +0.462 127480 79781 1.67
Carrot + Ajwain 14.40+ 0.491 152156 105318 2.25
SEm± - - 2299.6 0.0592
C.D. at 5% - - 6513.1 0.11
Table 3: Yield and economics as influenced by multi-tier
intercropping with different spices and vegetables crops

16. Vegetables having high yield potential and short duration in
nature are the most suitable multi-tier intercrops.
Provides income, employment and enough food for consumption.
Better and sustainable use of the inputs, i.e., soil, water, air,
space, solar radiation, etc.
Reduce insecurity of mono-cropping.
Higher production, economic return and resource utilization.
Channelizing the dynamic energy of rural youth towards
conventional farming for higher income generation and livelihood
security.
Summary and conclusion