Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

After completing this lesson, you have learned to answer:

1. Define intercropping system?2. What are the features of an ideal intercropping

system?3. List useful intercropping systems for chili pepper

cultivation?4. What is mixed cropping?5. Why farmers practice mixed cropping?6. Why intercropping is a better system than mixed

cropping?

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Adverse weather conditions like delay in the onset of rains and/or failure of rains for few days to weeks some time or other during the crop period is very common in the rainfed chili pepper growing areas.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Such situation results in economic losses to the farmers due to the partial or total failure of chili pepper crop.

To over come this situation there is need to adopt or follow chili pepper based cropping systems like intercropping or mixed cropping in rainfed chili pepper growing areas.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

With particular reference to dry land agriculture, an intercropping system needs to be designed in such a way that in the case of unfavorable weather, at least one crop will survive to give economic yields, thereby providing for the necessary insurance against unpredictable weather.

In case the year happens to be normal with respect to rainfall, the intercropping system, as a whole, should prove to be more profitable than growing either of the crops alone.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Intercropping refers to growing more than one crop in the same land area in rows of definite proportion and pattern.

Chili pepper-MaizeIntercropping

Sorghum-chili pepperIntercropping

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

An ideal intercropping should aim to:

• Produce higher yields per unit area through better use of natural resources;

• Offer greater stability in production under adverse weather conditions and with disease and insect infestation;

• Meet the domestic needs of the farmer;

• Provide an equitable distribution of farm resources.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

The following intercropping practices were found to be remunerative than sole crop of chili pepper even under drought or excessive rainfall in AP.

Chili pepper+ Sorghum 2:1 ratio Chili pepper + Maize 2:4 ratio Chili pepper + Soybean 4:2 ratio Chili pepper + Sunflower 4:2 ratio (2:1 ratio indicates 2 rows of sorghum and one row of the other crop)

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Sorghum+ Chili pepper inter cropping system is recommended to farmers to meet the fodder needs of cattle and milch animals.

Sorghum-chili pepperIntercropping

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

While maintaining the yield levels of the sole or unmixed crop of chili pepper, additional yields with the intercropping component have been realized under various systems.

Since a food legume is involved in most of the systems, it will not only enhance the income of the farmer, but would also provide with the much-needed protein to supplement the predominantly cereal diet of farmers.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Mixed cropping refers to simultaneously growing more than one crop in the same land area as a mixture.

Chili pepper mixed with many other

crops

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Unlike in intercropping system, in mixed cropping the crops are grown without any definite proportion or pattern.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Mixed cropping of Chili pepper-Maize is most common.

Mixtures with green gram (mung), black gram (urid), cowpea and even with pearl millet and other cereals, vegetables, etc. during kharif are practiced under different situations.

During rabi the mixing of chili pepper and safflower is the most common practice.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Mixed cropping is practiced in traditional subsisting farming to meet the domestic needs of the farmer's family. Thus, the number of crops grown mixed varies depending on the family needs.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Can you identify the number and name of the crops in this field?

Click on the picture to check your guess.

Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

Lesson 2: Intercropping and Mixed Cropping Practices

Even though crops in the mixed cropping meets the farmer’s family needs, the yield of crops will be very low due to the competition between the crops for water, light, nutrients etc.

A better cropping system will be adopting intercropping system involving the major crops.

However, the crop plants required to meet the family needs could still be grown on the field bunds, on the field borders, and in the house back yards.