SUBMITTED TO :- PRESENTED BY :-

Dr. K.K. AGRAWAL GOVARDHAN LODHA (160111017)

ARVIND AHIRWAR (160111003)
Associate Professor DESHRAJ PATEL (160111004)
GOLANDAS BAGHEL (160111006)
KULDEEP S. SALLAM (160111008)
 CONTENT –

1. Concept of sustainability
2.Production potential under
monoculture cropping,
3. Multiple cropping,
4. Alley cropping,
5.Sequential cropping and
intercropping,
6.Mechanism of yield Agron 511
advantage in intercropping
systems.
 CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY
The word "sustain," from the Latin sustinere
(sus-, from below and tenere, to hold),
To keep in existence or maintain, implies long-term support or
permanence.
DEFINITION;-
Sustainability is the production system aimed at achieving
maximum production while maintaining the resources
base for the future generations i.e. meeting the present
demands while protecting ecology and preserving the
resources base and high environmental quality.
FUTURE ECOLOGY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PRESENT ECONOMY.
CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY
 Definition Of Sustainable Agriculture
Tha form of agriculture aimed at meeting the food and fuel needs of
the present generation without endangering the resource base for the
future generations. It is an efficient management system of
renewable resources including soil, forests, crops, biodiversity and
ecosystem without degradation, to provide adequate food and other
needs for the current and future generations.
USDA (legal)
Sustainable agriculture means, an integrated system of plant and animal production practices
having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:
 Satisfy human food and fiber needs;
 Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource based upon which the agricultural
economy depends;
Ø Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and
integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;
Ø Sustain the economic viability of farm operations;
Ø Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.
 CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

» The concept of sustainable agriculture has come up

because yield from modern farming technique reaching
a plateau and the environmental problems due to
excessive use of chemicals and pesticides in food chain.

Type of agriculture Objective Input Output

Subsistence agriculture To sustain life and family Low Low
(Low level equilibrium) Need
Commercial farming To obtain high income High High
(high level equilibrium)
Sustainable agriculture Ecological balance Low High
(Natural or ecological equilibrium)
 Components of sustainable system.
 Soil and water conservation to prevent degradation of soil productivity.

 Efficient use of limited irrigation water to avoids problems of soil.

 Appropriate crop rotations.

 Integrated nutrient management that reduces the need for inorganic

fertilizers, improves the soil health and minimize the environmental pollution
by conjuctive use of organics, in-organics and bio-fertilizers.

 Integrated plant protection that reduces the need for agrochemicals through
crop rotation, weather monitoring, use of resistant varieties, timely planting
of crops and biological plant protection.

 Management systems to control weeds by preventive measures, tillage,

timely cultivation and crop rotation which improve plant health.
 Management practices for sustainable Agriculture

Soil management
Soil and water conservation technology
Soil fertility management
Problem soil management

Water resources management

Integrated pest management

Integrated disease management
Integrated weed management
 Objectives of sustainable Agriculture:-
 Satisfy human food and fiber needs.
 Enhance environmental quality and the natural
resource base upon which the agricultural economy
depends.
 Make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources.
appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls .

 Sustain the economic viability of farm operations.

 Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as
whole.
 Characteristics of sustainable
agriculture include
Conservation and preservation
Biodiversity
Animal welfare:
Economically viable

 Socially just
 Components of sustainable farming systems
 CROP ROTATIONS.
 POLYCULTURES.
 AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS.
 COVER CROPS.
 ANIMAL INTEGRATION

optimizing the use of locally available resources

Reducing the use of off-farm
Relying mainly on resources within the agroecosystem by
improving the match between cropping patterns and the
productive potential
working to value and conserve biological diversity
Taking full advantage of local knowledge and practices
 The 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
The yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of crops and
fallow on a given area.
Cropping system comprises all components required
for the production of a particular crop and the
interrelationships between them and environment. In the
cropping systems, sometimes a number of crops are grown
together or they are grown separately at short intervals in the
same field.
Choose crops that complement each other
Choose crops and a cropping rotation which utilize
available resources efficiently
Choose crops and a cropping that maintain and
enhance soil fertility
Choose crops which have a diversity of growth cycle
Choose a diverse species of crops
Keep the soil covered
Strategically plan and modify the cropping system as
needed.
 Objective of cropping system :
 Efficient utilization of all resources viz. Land, water,
and solar radiation maintaining stability in production
and obtaining higher net returns.
The efficiency is measured by the quantity of
produce obtained per unit resource in a unit time
 Benefit of Cropping system
Maintain and enhance soil fertility
Enhance crop growth
Minimize spread of disease
Control weeds
Inhibit insect and pest growth
Increase soil cover
Reduce risk for crop failure
Use resources more efficiently
 Depending on the resources and technology
available, different types of cropping systems are
adopted on farms, which are as below

 Sole cropping (monoculture)

 Intensive cropping:
Multiple cropping
Intercropping
 Sequential cropping
 Crop rotation
 This is where the field is used to grow only one crop
season after season .
Also known as solid planting

 it is difficult to maintain cover on the soil

 it encourages pests, diseases and weeds
 it can reduce the soil fertility and damage the soil structure.
Multiple cropping:
 Growing two or more crops on the same field in a year.
 Annual and perennial plants can be organized in fields together.
 It is a form of polyculture

tomatoes + onions + marigold; the marigolds repel some tomato pests.

 Intercropping:
Growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same
field.
There is intercrop competition during all or part of crop
growth.

It is further sub-divided as
(a) Mixed intercropping:
(b) Row intercropping:
(c) Strip intercropping:
(d) Relay intercropping:
Mixed intercropping:
Growing two or more crops
simultaneously with no distinctrow
arrangement. Also referred to as
mixed cropping. Ex: Sorghum, pearl millet
and cowpea are mixed and broadcasted in
rainfed conditions.

Strip intercropping:
Growing two or more crops
simultaneously in strips wide enough to
permit independent cultivation but narrow
enough for the crops to interact
agronomically. Ex. Groundnut + redgram
(6:4) strip.
Mixed intercropping:
Growing two or more crops
simultaneously with no distinct row
arrangement. Also referred to as mixed
cropping.
Ex: Sorghum, pearl millet and cowpea
are mixed and broadcasted in rainfed
conditions.

Strip intercropping:
Growing two or more crops
simultaneously in strips wide enough to
permit independent cultivation but
narrow enough for the crops to interact
agronomically.
Ex. Groundnut + redgram (6:4) strip.
Row intercropping:
Growing two or more crops simultaneously where one or
more crops are planted in rows. Often simply referred to as
intercropping.
Maize + greengram (1:1),
Maize + blackgram (1:1),
Groundnut + Rredgram (6:1).

Relay intercropping:
Growing two or more crops simultaneously during the
part of the life cycle of each. A second crop is planted after the first
crop has reached its reproductive stage of growth, but, before it is
ready for harvest. Often simply referred to as relay cropping.
 Disadvantages,
• Mechanized planting and
harvesting are difficult;
Biodiversity and stability: • It is more difficult to
Increased yield apply needed fertilizers
Maintenance of soil fertility
and other chemicals as in
Fodder and manure:
Soil cover sole cropping; and
Risk spreading and food • Experimentation with
security intercropping is more
Weed control complex and difficult to
Microclimate manage than with sole
Physical support:
cropping.
Pest and diseases control
Sequential cropping
Growing two or more crops in sequence on the same
field in a farming year. The succeeding crop is planted
after the preceding crop has been harvested.
Crop intensification is only in time dimension.
There is no intercrop competition.
Double cropping: Growing of two crops in a year in sequence.

Tripple cropping: Growing of three crops in a year in sequence.

Quadruple cropping: Growing of four crops in a year in

sequence.
(b) Ratoon cropping:
The cultivation of crop re-growth after harvest,
although not necessarily for grain.
Ex.Fennel:ratoon; Broccoli: ratoon

Fennel resprouts from the stump! Cut the main bulb high, and then
harvest baby sprouts a few weeks later.
Alley Cropping
Alley cropping is broadly defined as the
planting of two or more sets of single ormultiple rows
of trees or shrubs at wide spacing, creating alleyways
within which agricultural, horticultural, or forage
crops are cultivated.

Benefits of Alley Cropping

Diversify farm enterprise
Reduce erosion
Improve water quality
Protect crops
Enhance wildlife
Improve aesthetics
 Mechanism Of Yield Advantages In
Intercropping System:
Since several crops are involved in
intercropping system, it is not logical to compare
total yield of different crop in on system with the
other. Several indices are developed to evaluate
yield advantages in intercropping system.
 Crop equivalent yield (CEY):
 Land equivalent ratio (LER):
 Relative yield total (RYT):
 Relative crowing coefficient (RCC):
LAND EQUIVALENT RATIO (LER):

Land equivalent ratio (LER) is the relative land

area under sole crops that is required to produce the
yields achieved in intercropping. LER can be
mathematically represented as follows-

LER =  Yi / Yij

Where, Yi is the yield of ith component crop from a unit

area grown as intercrop
and Yij is the yield of ith component grown as sole
crop over the same area.
Example:- Let the yields of groundnut and redgram grown as pure crops be 1200 and 1000 kg/ha
respectively. Let the yields of these crops when grown as intercrops be 1000 and 600 kg/ha
respectively. The land equivalent ratio of groundnut +redgram intercropping system is as follows :

Yield of inter crop (1000)

LER of groundnut = ----------------------------
Yield of sole crops(1200)
LER of redrgram = 600/1000

1000 + 600
LER of system= = 1.43
𝟏𝟐𝟎𝟎 1000
LER of the indicates that 43 per cent yield advantage is obtained when grown as intercrops compared
to growing as sole crops. In other words the sole crop have to be grown in 1.43 ha to get the same yield
level that is obtained from 1.00 ha of intercropping.
LER
 more than 1 indicates yield advantage,
 equal to 1 indicates no grain or no gain or no loss and
 less than 1 indicates yield loss.
 It can be used both for replacement and additives series of
intercropping.
 LER is the summation of ratios of yields of intercrop to the
yield of sole crop.
 LER gives a better picture of the competitive abilities of the
component crops.
 It also gives actual yield advantage of intercropping.
 In other words LER is the measure of production efficiency of
different system by convening the production in terms of land
acreage.
 LER gives an accurate assessment of the biological efficiency of
intercropping.
References-
 Principles of agronomy by Reddy And Reddy.
 Modern concepts and advance principles in crop
production by Panda S.C.
 Fundamentals of Agriculture by Arun Katayan.
 Hand Book of Agriculture by ICAR New Delhi.
 Principles of agronomy. By Reddy and Reddy .
 Irrigation agronomy by Dr.S.R.Reddy.
 Agriinfo.net
 Tnau study material
 Krishikhosh ethesis
 Lectur e notes of Dr. k.k. Agrawal, professor ,jnkvv
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 M.Sc.(Ag.) Agronomy
J. N. Agriculture University, Jabalpur
College of Agriculture, Jabalpur (M.P.), India