FARMING AND CROPPING SYSTEM ENOTE

WEEK: ONE

SUBJECT: AGRIC SCIENCE

TERM: SECOND

CLASS: GRADE 8

TOPIC: FARMING AND CROPPING SYSTEM

SUBTOPIC: CROPPING SYSTEM

i. Mono cropping system: This is a system of planting crops in which only one type of crop is planted on a given piece of land at a given time.

ii. Inter-cropping system: This is a system of planting crops in which two crops are planted in alternate rows in a given piece of land a

nd at a particular time. For example, yam can be intercropped with maize; cassava can be intercropped with maize, yam can be intercropped with melon or cowpea.

iii. Mixed cropping: When three or more crops are planted on a given piece of land at a particular time, that type of planting is called mixed cropping. For instance; yam, maize and melon can be planted on a given piece of land at a time.

iv. Catch Cropping: A catch crop is a crop that is sown as second crop after the first crop has been harvested. After yam cultivation, vegetables can be planted to keep the farm busy till another time when yam will be planted.

v. Cover Cropping: When the soil has been cleared and tilled, the soil is exposed to erosion. There is therefore need to plant crops that creep on the ground in order to cover the soil. These crops are called cover crops. They can be planted with crops as intercrop or cover crops to prevent water loss from the soil. Examples are melon, cowpea, groundnuts, melon, sweat potato, centrosoma, mucuna, pigeon pea, etc.

vi. continuous cropping: A system whereby the same piece of land is used each year for growing one type of crop is called continuous cropping. Soil fertility can be lost when a farmer practices continuous cropping.

ASSIGNMENT

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS:

1. The practice of growing different crops on the same farmland is called A. arable farming B. mixed cropping C. mixed farming D. mono cropping E. pastoral farming

2.  The following are cover crops EXCEPT A. cowpea B. centrosoma C. guinea grass D. mucuna E. pigeon pea

3.  The farming system which involves the cultivation of a piece of land from year to year is called A. continuous cropping B. crop rotation C. monoculture D. pastoral farming E. shifting cultivation

4. A system of farming in which a farmer raises only one crop every year on the same piece of land is known as A. continuous cropping B. crop rotation C. mixed farming D. mixed cropping E. mono cropping

5. Soil fertility can be lost when a farmer practices-cropping.

A. continuous B. mixed C. mono D. sequential E. strip

6. A crop that is sown as second crop after the first crop has been harvested is term A. mono cropping B. mixed cropping C. catch cropping D. inter cropping E. continuous cropping

THEORY QUESTIONS:

1. List six cropping system and explain two.