1. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems After completing this lesson, you have learned to answer: 1.Define cropping systems? 2.List the features of an ideal cropping system? 3.List the generally practiced cropping systems? 4.What is monocropping? 5.Define crop rotation practice? 6.What types of crop rotation practices exist? 7.What are the advantages of practicing crop rotation? Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

2. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems At the end of this lesson, you have learned to answer: 8.What should be the criteria for selecting a good crop rotation practice? 9.What crops are useful for crop rotation with sorghum? 10.Define intercropping system? 11.How intercropping system is advantageous over monocropping of sorghum? 12.What is monocropping? Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

3. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems 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 Ratoon cropping Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

4. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems 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. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

5. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems This planned crop rotation sequence could be: Two crops in two different seasons within a year i.e. double cropping, e.g. sorghum followed by chickpea. for a two- year period i.e. two year crop rotation, e.g. Year 1: sorghum; Year 2: groundnut; Year 3: will be sorghum again. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

6. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems This planned crop rotation sequence could be: three-year period i.e three year crop rotation, e.g. Year 1: sorghum; Year 2: groundnut; Year 3: cotton; Year 4: will be sorghum again. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

7. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems Some of the general purposes of crop rotation are: improve or maintain soil fertility, check erosion, reduce the build-up of pests, spread the workload on family labor, use of bullocks and farm equipment, hired labor etc. mitigate risk of weather changes, less reliance on agricultural chemicals, increase net profits. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

8. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems 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. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

9. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems The following are important to consider when designing a crop rotation, regardless of location. How will the previous crop affect subsequent crop production? Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

10. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems 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 Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

11. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems Sorghum crop is grown during both kharif (July- November) and rabi (October-February) seasons, the rabi crop constituting 36-38% of the total area under this crop. The area under the rabi sorghum is concentrated in the Deccan plateau more or less a contiguous belt. In the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka, the rabi sorghum occupies about 55- 60% of the total sorghum area. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

12. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems In Andhra Pradesh, the distribution is 50-50 in kharif and rabi seasons. In the rest of the states the kharif season sorghum is more important. Only a very small area of this crop, about 4-5 %, is grown under irrigation, usually during summer months (January-April). Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

13. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems Generally, as a rainfed crop (in kharif), sorghum 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. Sorghum crop in general should be rotated with other cereals like maize, pearl millet (bajra) or minor millets or preferably with legumes like groundnut. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

14. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems The most of the districts of eastern Madhya Pradesh, the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, some parts of Andhra Pradesh, and southern districts of Rajasthan, receive a rainfall of 700 to 800 mm and have moisture-retentive black-cotton soils. Traditionally, in these areas a single long duration (5 to 5.5 months) kharif sorghum is grown. The productivity becomes uncertain in subnormal years of rainfall with this practice. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

15. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems In these areas if an early-maturing hybrid or improved variety resistant or tolerant to grain molds, e.g. CSH-6 hybrid, good yield of sorghum could be harvested even in subnormal years. Further, in normal years a second crop of ratoon sorghum, or safflower or chickpea can be grown. Such a change enables the stability of sorghum production in all years, and enhances the overall productivity of sorghum in black-cotton soils. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

16. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems On the all-India basis, about 17 major cropping patterns have been identified. In them the base crop is kharif sorghum. Most of the alternative crops are also of the type which can be grown under medium rainfall. Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

17. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems StateAlternate crops Maharashtra Cotton, pulses, groundnut and small millets Andhra Pradesh Groundnuts, cotton, oilseeds and pulses Karnataka Cotton and groundnut, ragi Rajasthan Cotton, pearl millet and maize Gujarat Pearl millet, cotton and groundnut Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

18. Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics Course on Insect Pests of Groundnut Module 7: Cropping Systems Sorghum based Cropping Pattern Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices