After successful completion of this Lesson, you have learned to answer:

1
Module VII Cropping Systems
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics
Lesson 1 Crop Rotation Practices

• After successful completion of this Lesson, you
  have learned to answer
• Define cropping systems?
• List the features of an ideal cropping system?
• List the generally practiced cropping systems?
• What is monocropping?
• Define crop rotation practice?
• What types of crop rotation practices exist?
• What are the advantages of practicing crop
  rotation?

Course on Groundnut Production Practices
2

• After successful completion of this Lesson, you
  have learned to answer
• What should be the criteria for selecting a good
  crop rotation practice?
• What crops are useful for crop rotation with
  groundnut?
• Define intercropping system?
• How intercropping system is advantageous over
  monocropping of groundnut?
• What is monocropping?

3

• A cropping system refers to growing a combination
  of crops in space and time.
• An ideal cropping system should
• use natural resources efficiently
• provide stable and high returns
• do not damage the environment.
•  
• Commonly practiced cropping systems are
• Crop rotation practices
• Intercropping systems
• Mixed cropping systems

4

• Growing the same crop year after year in the same
  field is called monocropping.
• In contrast to monocropping, in crop rotation
  practice crops are grown in a planned sequence
  from season to season within a year or from year
  to year.
• This planned rotation sequence may be
• within a year double cropping in two seasons
• for a two- year period two year crop rotation
• three-year period three year crop rotation.

5

• Some of the general purposes of crop rotations
  are
• improve or maintain soil fertility,
• reduce erosion,
• reduce the build-up of pests,
• spread the workload on family labor, use
  of bullocks and farm equipment, hired labor
  etc.
• reduce risk of weather damage,
• reduce reliance on agricultural chemicals,
  
• increase net profits.

6
When selecting a rotation, the long term
viability of that rotation to reduce weed, insect
and disease pressure, as well as its economic
viability must be considered. A well developed
plan which can be altered when necessary should
always be followed. Otherwise, the desired crop
sequence may be interrupted and the maximum
benefits of the rotational effect will not be
obtained.
7

• The following are important considerations when
  designing a crop rotation, regardless of
  location.
• How will the previous crop affect subsequent crop
  production?
• Will the previous crop increase or decrease
  concerns in the following areas?
• Disease, insect, weed control, and residue
  management
• Soil moisture and fertility utilization
• Seed bed preparation
• Planting and harvesting schedule
• Gross economic returns.

8
Generally, as a rainfed crop, groundnut is grown
year after year in a monocropping system. This
practice may lead to the crop failure due to
adverse weather conditions during crop growth
period. The groundnut in general should be
rotated with cereals like maize, wheat, sorghum
(jowar), pearl millet (bajra) or minor millets.
It was also found that groundnut does well
after wheat, maize, sorghum (jowar), pearl millet
(bajra) and tobacco.
9
The crop sequences recommended for different
groundnut growing states in India are as follows
10
The crop sequences recommended for different
groundnut growing states in India are as follows
11
Module VII Cropping Systems
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

With this, the Lesson 1 on Crop rotation
Practices in this Module concludes. Next,
Lesson 2 in this Module is about intercropping
and mixed cropping practices in groundnut
cultivation. Select Lesson 2 in Module VII from
Course contents
Course on Groundnut Production Practices