Cropping System

 Cropping pattern is the yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of crops and fallow on a given area. Cropping system comprises all cropping patterns grown on the farm and their interaction with farm resources, other household enterprises and the physical, biological, technological and sociological factors or environments".

Sequential cropping
 A form of multiple cropping in which paddy is grown in sequence on the same field, with the succeeding crop planted after the harvest of the preceding crop.

Mixed cropping Growing of two or more varieties of paddy simultaneously and intermingled without row arrangements, where there is significant amount of intercrop competition.

Mono-cropping system

    A system of cultivation in which a paddy is grown over a large area of land often for several years.

Ratooning 
    One of the important methods of intensive cropping, allowing the stubbles of paddy crop to strike again after harvesting and to raise another crop.

Relay planting
    The second crop is planted into an established stand of a main crop. The second crop develops fully after the main crop is harvested.

Rice Cropping System in Tamil Nadu

Mixed varietal cropping system

· Coat dry seeds with 20% calcium peroxide using 4% PVA solution as an adhesive and then broadcast in the field with 10-15 cm column of standing water.

· Maintain the water level for 10-12 days to prevent germination of wild rice.

· Drain the field and apply N and K fertilizer as per recommendation for rapid growth of the rice seedlings.

Control of Salvinia molesta (African payal)

· Growing of a mixture of autumn and winter varieties of rice in 3:1 ratio in Tamil Nadu (known as udo) is very much in practice.

· This system has a built-in advantage of low cost of cultivation as it eliminates of cost of land preparation for planting winter crop.

· However, under normal conditions it has created problems in performing agricultural operations like harvesting, deciding fertilizer doses etc.