A Review on the Comparative Advantages of Intercropping to Mono-Cropping System

Abstract

Mono-cropping style production has significant problems and that there exists a sufficient justification for studying intercropping approaches. Consequently, researchers have proposed general categories of benefits and utilities of intercropping. Benefits of intercropping are crop yield, productivity of various plant constituents, economic return, yield stability, social benefits, pest control, and nutrient use efficiency. Both above ground and below ground potential complementarities of component plants are the most important advantage of intercropping systems which includes both tall and short plant components in sunlight utilization by their areal parts whereas shallow and deep rooted plant components in water and nutrient exploitation for crop production. Because of these advantages intercropping is practiced in many parts of the world, especially in the developing countries. Furthermore, because of some favorable exudates from the component legumes, greater land-use efficiency, greater yield stability and increased competitive ability towards weed, intercropping is advantageous over mono-cropping.  Therefore, this review summarizes the most important aspects of intercropping system comparative to mono-cropping one. The objectives of this manuscript are therefore, (1) to review the available literatures on the intercropping systems so as to indicate the system as an optional cropping system where it is required accordingly, (2) to show the scientific justifications on the advantages and disadvantages of the system in an attempt to provide the comparative advantages to the mono-cropping system for selection and its role on food security and the economy of a country especially where there is no a problem of farm labor for field management, and (3) to indicate as the system can allow more efficient use of on farm resources like water in order to enable sustainable crop production for a nation.

Keywords: competition, complementarity, intercropping, mono-cropping