continuous cropping system of farming. advantages and disadvantages of continuous cropping system. the cultivation of crops on a piece of land and replanting crops on the same piece of land the following planting season without allowing the land to fallow or rest.
you can check out my post on pre-planting, post planting operation here
most often continuous system of cropping is practiced where there is scarcity of land- check out land tenure systems here. at this a farmer makes use of a piece of land for several planting season due to lack of availability of land.
WHAT IS CONTINUOUS CROPPING SYSTEM OF AGRICULTURE
continuous cropping system of agriculture
is a system by which involves the growing of the same type of crops, on the same piece of land every year.
The system is normally practiced where there is scarcity of land and dense population, or where environmental conditions limit the type of crops that can be cultivated in that area. Crops such as millet- can only be grown in some parts of Northern Nigeria.
In continuous cropping system of agriculture, a lot has to be done by the farmer to improve the fertility of the soil, by the addition of organic and inorganic manure.
Advantages of continuous cropping
(i) in continuous cropping, A lot of time, energy and money is saved, since the farmer does not have a clear new farmland every year.
(ii) continuous cropping helps to economize the use of farmland.
Disadvantages of continuous cropping
(i) Continuous cropping encourages soil erosion.
(ii) continuous cropping also leads to rapid loss of soil fertility
(iii) continuous cropping encourages low yield.
(iv) A lot of money is expended in buying fertilizers to improve the fertility of the soil in continuous cropping.
(v) continuous cropping encourages the build-up of pests, diseases and weeds in the farm.
(vi) continuous cropping encourages the deterioration of the physical and chemical conditions of the soil.
how to maintain soil nutrient during continuous cropping system of farming
to maintain a certain quality of soil nutrient in order to boost crop production, the following processes should be adhered to strictly when dealing on continuous cropping system
- during weeding and harvesting of crops, the residue or the cleared seed should be used as compost to enrich the soil nutrient.
- continuous application of fertilizer should be encouraged when engaging in continuous system of farming
- try to rotate the position of crop within the farm during the next planting season as this cub the spread of diseases in the farm. this aspect is also known as crop rotation system of farming
- each year during the continuous cropping period, it is very important to till the soil properly before planting. tillage system here- so as to loosen the topmost soil reach easy penetration of plant roots for nutrients
- the use of surface irrigation is very key for the sustainability of the soil nutrient
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153. FUNGAL DISEASES
154. PROTOZOAN DISEASES
155. TRYPONOSOMIASIS
159. TAPE WORM
160. ROUND WORM OF PIGS
161. LIVER FLUKE
162. ECTO PARASITES
163. TICK
164. LICE
