Polyculture

Polyculture is the planting of two or more crops in the same field at the same time. Often the terms polyculture and intercropping are used interchangeably. However, polyculture is a broader term since it can include not only crop plants but even weeds, nursery and insectary plants, windbreaks, or hedgerows that may be intentionally included in the farming system. Multiple cropping is an even more inclusive term that includes both polyculture or intercropping (multiple crops grown at the same time) and crop rotation or sequential cropping (crops grown at different times). In contrast to polyculture, monoculture refers to a system in which only one crop is grown.

Types of Polyculture Systems

A variety of different types of intercropping systems and their combinations are possible (Fig. 90). In mixed intercropping, crops are planted without any arrangement in rows. In row intercropping or strip cropping, crops are planted in alternating rows or strips, for easier mechanization than in...