Scope for Adoption of Intercropping System in Organic Agriculture

Abstract

Intercropping, also known as multi-cropping or poly culture, is an age-old agricultural practice that involves the growing of diversified crop species in close proximity such that they coexist temporally for a portion of their life cycle. Growing of different plant species together enhances biological diversity and thus ensures greater ecological service, which is important in creation of suitable environment for successful organic agriculture. Further, legume crops in association in intercropping system benefit nonlegumes by sharing nutrients, enabling soil biological activities and higher use of available resources. The adoption of Green Revolution Technologies (GRTs) resulted in degradation of natural resources with yield decline or stagnation of major crops. During recent time, organic agriculture has emerged as an economically viable option of farming because of growing demand of the organic products worldwide. In addition to that, organic agriculture has enough potential to assure agricultural sustainability. Under these circumstances, intercropping can play a vital role in organic agriculture for sustainable farm output and the article has focused on beneficial aspects of intercropping system in befitting organic agriculture.