CONTENT
- Monocropping or Sole Cropping
- Multiple Cropping
- Continuous Cropping
- Crop Rotation
CROPPING SYSTEM
The different patterns of growing crops and mixtures of crops is known as cropping system.
MONOCROPPING
Monocropping is a cropping system that involves the growing/planting of only one type of crop on a farm at any given time. e.g. oil palm plantation.
ADVANTAGES OF MONOCROPPING
1. Easy mechanization of the farm.
2. Application of fertilizer at proper level is made easy.
3. Control of weeds, pests and diseases are easily carried out.
DISADVANTAGES OF MONOCROPPING
1. There is the possibility of exposing the land to erosion after harvest.
2. The farmer may lose heavily if the sole crop is attacked by pest or diseases.
3. Reduced selling price, if the demand for the crop is low in market due to much supply.
EVALUATION
- Define cropping system.
- State two side effects of mono cropping system.
b) MULTIPLE CROPPING
Multiple cropping is the practice of growing two or more crops on the same farm in the same
year. There are two types of multiple cropping, these are:
1. Relay cropping
2. Inter cropping
Relay Cropping: is the act of growing two or more crops one after the other on the same farm in the same year.
Inter Cropping: entails the growing of two or more different crops on the same farm at the same time.
ADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLE CROPPING
1. Maximum use of farm land is achieved.
2. Mixture of crops provides cover for the soil and it helps reduce soil erosion as well as the growth of weeds.
3. Mixture of crops discourages the buildup of insects and diseases known with a particular crop.
4. Mixture of crops serves as a form of insurance for the farmer.
DISADVANTAGES OF MULTIPLE CROPPING
1. Competition between crop plants is very high and less competitive plants suffer with low yield.
2. It is difficult to use machine to carry out farm operations under this system.
3. Chemicals especially herbicides are difficult to apply to a mixture of crops.
c) CONTINUOUS CROPPING
This involves the growing of the same crop or mixture of crops on the same piece of land every year for five or more years.
ADVANTAGES OF CONTINUOUS CROPPING
It is highly useful where there is shortage of land and the environmental condition limits the types of crop to be grown.
DISADVANTAGES OF CONTINUOUS CROPPING
1. The soil nutrients are depleted fast and there is the need for fertilizer application.
2. There is rapid buildup of weeds, insect pests and diseases every cropping year.
GENERAL EVALUATION
1. Define mono cropping.
2. Mention two advantages of mono cropping.
3. What is multiple cropping?
4. Explain continuous cropping.
5. Mention two disadvantages of continuous cropping.
6. Differentiate between crop rotation and land rotation.
READING ASSIGNMENT
Junior Secondary Agricultural Science by A. Youdeowei Bk. 3, Chapter 2, Pages 7-11.
Junior Secondary Agricultural Science by O. Akinsanmi, Chapter 6, pages 25-26
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
1. The different patterns of growing crops and mixture of crops is known as ………..
(a) multiple cropping (b) sole cropping (c) cropping system (d) continuous cropping
2. The system in which only one kind of crop is planted is called ………..
(a) multiple cropping (b) mono cropping (c) mixed cropping (d) mixed farming
3. Planting more than one crop on a piece of land at the same time is ………..
(a) mixed farming (b) multiple cropping (c) mono cropping (d) mono farming
4. Which of the following is not an agricultural cropping system?
(a) mixed farming (b) crop rotation (c) mono cropping (d) multiple cropping
5. This is the growing of crops on the same piece of land non-stop for a very long time.
(a) multiple cropping (b) sole cropping (c) cropping system (d) continuous cropping
THEORY
1. State two advantages of multiple cropping.
2. Enumerate two disadvantages of Mono cropping.
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