Question

Write 5 advantages and two disadvantages of mixed cropping.

Answer 1

Advantages of Mixed farming:

   Farmers can keep their fields under continuous production.

   There is reduction in the need of artificial fertilizers which can otherwise be expensive.

   There is geographic mixing of crops; this can help slow the spread of pest and other diseases in the growing season.

   It also reduces the effects of adverse weather conditions for the farmer as planting and harvest is at different times of the season.

   There are more land to be farmed with the same amount of labor and machinery.

   According to some scientific basis there is 10-25% increase in the yield in mixed farming versus monoculture.

   There are many cost related advantages in intercropping. Financial risks are distributed over diverse production of crops and livestock.

   There is less dependence on the purchased inputs and over time crops maintain productivity with lesser inputs.

   This system is a powerful tool to improve agricultural systems.

Disadvantages of Mixed farming:

   Some plant crops are very specific in the type of soil they need for maximum profits.

   This type of farming system is done keeping in mind the needs of the soil and not the needs of the crop.

   Choosy crops are not preferred in mixed farming practices.

   Crops for mixed farming if not chosen properly, have chances of competition between the crops for nutrients.

   

Answer 2

Mixed cropping or polyculture is defined as the type of agriculture in which two different types of crops are grown together.

Explanation:

As the crops have different season of ripening so planting more than one crop allows several wealth of environmental advantages such as:

1. It helps in maintaining a balance of soil nutrients.
2. It reduces insect pest, weed, and crop diseases.
3. There will be more land to be farmed with same amount of expense related to labor and machinery.
4. It reduces requirement of artificial fertilizers which are very expensive.
5. The crops become resistant to climate extremes such as hot, wet, dry, and cold, hence improve the productivity.

Along with many advantages, there are few disadvantages of mixed cropping as well:

1. Monitoring and maintenance of different crops id quite difficult
2. If any plant get affected by any disease it will quickly affect other plants as well
3. It will limit farmer with the quantity of crop as space will be occupied by two different crops.

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