Lessons From Nature
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Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Chapter-1

Chapter-2
Chapter-3
Chapter-4
Chapter-5
Chapter-6
Chapter-7
Chapter-8
Pictures
References
Reading List
Lessons from Nature
Chapter-6
The Cropping System
6.2 An Alternative Cropping System

6.2 An Alternative Cropping System

To solve problems like pest outbreak and micro-nutrient deficiency it is important to introduce an alternative cropping system. Avoiding mono-culture is a must. Some alternatives can be found in traditional local farming practices. The alternative cropping system includes the following:

1. Diverse cropping
2. Crop rotation
3. Mixed cropping

In order to practice an alternative cropping system, it is necessary for farers to understand the classification of crops. All crops are classified botanically, however, it is very difficult for farmers to understand botanical family classifications. It may be appropriate for them to classify the crops by look and shape of plants.


An Alternative Crop Classification

Cereal Crop
Rice family crop, rice (Dlhan), wheat (Gom), maize (Bhuta), etc.

Legume crop
Bean family crop, Indian bean (seem), black gram (Mashikalai), grass pea (Khesari), long yard bean (Boloboti), etc.

Leaf crop
Leaf vegetable crop, cabbage (Banda Kopi), cauliflower (Phulkopi), amaranthus (lalshak, Data), Indian spinach (Puishak), spinach (Palonshak), etc.

Root crop
Has a root or tem underground which can be eaten – potato (Alu), sweet potato (Mistialu), yam (Metealu), clocasia (Kochu), radish (Mula), ginger (Ada), etc.

Fruit crop
Fruit vegetable crop, egg plant (begun), tomato, okra (Dherosh), bottle gourd (Lau), cucumber (Shosha), etc.

to:6.1 The Problems with the Present Cropping System
to:6.3 Diverse Cropping