Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation

1. After completing this lesson, you have learned to answer: • Define cropping systems? • List the features of an ideal cropping system? • List the generally practiced cropping systems? • What is monocropping? • Define crop rotation practice? • What types of crop rotation practices exist? • What are the advantages of practicing crop rotation? Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

2. At the end of this lesson, you have learned to answer: • What should be the criteria for selecting a good crop rotation practice? • What crops are useful for crop rotation with chili pepper? • Define intercropping system? • How intercropping system is advantageous over monocropping of chili pepper? Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

3. A cropping system refers to growing a combination of crops in space and time. • An ideal cropping system should • use natural resources efficiently • provide stable and high returns • do not damage the environment. • Commonly practiced cropping systems are • Crop rotation practices • Intercropping systems • Mixed cropping systems • Ratoon cropping Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

4. Growing the same crop year after year in the same field is called monocropping. In contrast to monocropping, in crop rotation practice crops are grown in a planned sequence from season to season within a year or from year to year. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

5. This planned crop rotation sequence could be: • Two crops in two different seasons within a year i.e. double cropping, e.g. chili pepper followed by chickpea. • for a two- year period i.e. two year crop rotation, e.g. • Year 1: chili pepper; • Year 2: groundnut; • Year 3: will be chili pepper again. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

6. This planned crop rotation sequence could be: • Three-year period i.e three year crop rotation, e.g. • Year 1: chili pepper; • Year 2: groundnut; • Year 3: cotton; • Year 4: will be chili pepper again. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

7. Some of the general purposes of crop rotation are: • improve or maintain soil fertility, • check erosion, • reduce the build-up of pests, • spread the workload on family labor, use of bullocks and farm equipment, hired labor etc. • mitigate risk of weather changes, • less reliance on agricultural chemicals, • increase net profits. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

8. When selecting a rotation, the long term viability of that rotation to reduce weed, insect and disease pressure, as well as its economic viability must be considered. A well developed plan which can be altered when necessary should always be followed. Otherwise, the desired crop sequence may be interrupted and the maximum benefits of the rotational effect will not be obtained. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

9. The following are important to consider when designing a crop rotation, regardless of location. How will the previous crop affect subsequent crop production? Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

10. Will the previous crop increase or decrease concerns in the following areas? • Disease, insect, weed control, and residue management • Soil moisture and fertility utilization • Seed bed preparation • Planting and harvesting schedule • Gross economic returns Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

11. Generally, as a rainfed crop (in kharif), chili pepper is grown year after year in a monocropping system. This practice may lead to the crop failure due to adverse weather conditions during crop growth period. Chili pepper crop in general should be rotated with other cereals like maize, pearl millet (bajra) or minor millets or preferably with legumes like groundnut. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

12. The most of the districts of eastern Madhya Pradesh, the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, some parts of Andhra Pradesh, and southern districts of Rajasthan, receive a rainfall of 700 to 800 mm and have moisture-retentive black-cotton soils. Traditionally, in these areas a single long duration (5 to 5.5 months) kharifchili pepper is grown. The productivity becomes uncertain in subnormal years of rainfall with this practice. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

13. On the all-India basis, about 17 major cropping patterns have been identified. In them the base crop is kharifchili pepper. Most of the alternative crops are also of the type which can be grown under medium rainfall. Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

14. StateAlternate crops Maharashtra Cotton, pulses, groundnut and small millets Andhra Pradesh Groundnuts, cotton, oilseeds and pulses Karnataka Cotton and groundnut, ragi Rajasthan Cotton, pearl millet and maize Gujarat Pearl millet, cotton and groundnut Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices

15. Chili pepper based Cropping Pattern Module VII: Cropping Systems for Chili Pepper Cultivation Lesson 1: Crop Rotation Practices