Enhance farm income through intercropping in orchards

摘要

Various annual crops are sown in the orchard at prehearing stage to maximize land use efficiency, create additional income, shield inter-space from losses through weeds and improve soil fertility. Such crops are known as intercrops. Intercropping is growing of two or more crops at similar time on same piece of land. In orchards, various types of crops are grown as intercrops depending up on the type and age of the fruit crop. Intercrops can be successfully grown to a certain limit of time in betweenfruit crops beyond which they cause damage to main fruit trees in the orchard. Generally, intercrops can be safely grown in the orchard up to the pre-bearing stage. The intercrops grown in the orchard maintain a micro-climatic condition around the trees, which favours the better tree growth.