Mixed Cropping Agriculture Technique

Mixed Cropping Agriculture Technique Mixed cropping, also known as polyculture, inter-cropping, or co-cultivation, is a type of agriculture that involves planting two or more plants simultaneously in the same field, interdigitating the crops so that they grow together. In general, the theory is that planting multiple crops at once saves space since crops in the same field might ripen at different seasons, and provides a wealth of environmental benefits. Documented benefits of mixed cropping include the balance of input and outgo of soil nutrients, the suppression of weeds and insect pests, the resistance of climate extremes (wet, dry, hot, cold), the suppression of plant diseases, the increase in overall productivity, and the management of scarce resources (land) to the fullest degree. Mixed Cropping in Prehistory Planting enormous fields with single crops is called monocultural agriculture, and it is a recent invention of the industrial agricultural complex. Most agricultural field systems of the past involved some form of mixed cropping, although unambiguous archaeological evidence of this is difficult to come by. Even if botanical evidence of the plant residues (such as starches or phytoliths) of multiple crops is discovered within an ancient field, it has proven difficult to differentiate between the results of mixed cropping and rotation cropping. Both methods are believed to have been used in the past. The primary reason for prehistoric multi-cropping probably had more to do with the needs of the farmers family, rather than any recognition that mixed cropping was a good idea. It is possible that certain plants adapted to multi-cropping over time, as a result of the domestication process. Classic Mixed Cropping: Three Sisters The classic example of mixed cropping is that of the American three sisters:  maize, beans, and cucurbits (squash and pumpkins). The three sisters were domesticated at different times but eventually were combined together to form an important component of Native American agriculture and cuisine. The mixed cropping of the three sisters is historically documented by the Seneca and Iroquois tribes in the US northeast and probably began sometime after 1000 C.E. The method consists of planting all three seeds in the same hole. As they grow, the maize provides a stalk for the beans to climb on, the beans are nutrient-rich to offset that taken out by the maize, and the squash grows low to the ground to keep weeds down and keep water from evaporating from the soil in the heat. Modern Mixed Cropping Agronomists studying mixed crops have had mixed results determining if yield differences can be achieved with mixed versus monoculture crops. For example, a combination wheat and chickpeas might work in one part of the world, but it might not work in another. But, overall it appears that measurably good effects result  when the right combination of crops are cropped together. Mixed cropping is best suited for small-scale farming where harvesting is by hand. It has been used to improve income and food production for small farmers and lessen the likelihood of total crop failure- even if one of the crops fail, the same field might still produce other crop successes. Mixed cropping also requires fewer nutrient inputs such as fertilizers, pruning, pest control, and irrigation than does monoculture farming. Benefits There seems to be no doubt that the practice provides a rich biodiverse environment, fostering habitat and species richness for animals and insects such as butterflies and bees. Some evidence suggests that polycultural fields do produce high yields compared to monocultural fields in certain situations, and almost always increase biomass richness over time. Polyculture in forests, heathlands, grasslands, and marshes has been particularly important for the regrowth of biodiversity in Europe. A recent study (Pech-Hoil and colleagues) was conducted on the tropical American perennial achiote (Bixa orellana), a rapidly growing tree that has a high carotenoid content, and a food dye and spice in small farming cultures in Mexico. The experiment looked at achiote as it is grown in different agronomic systems- intercropped polyculture, backyard cultivation including poultry farming, and a wide range of plants, and monoculture. Achiote adapted its mating system depending on which type of system it was planted in, specifically the amount of outcrossing that is seen. Further research is required to identify the forces at work. Sources: Cardoso EJBN, Nogueira MA, and Ferraz SMG. 2007. Biological N2 fixation and mineral N in common bean–maize intercropping or sole cropping in southeastern Brazil. Experimental Agriculture 43(03):319-330. Daellenbach GC, Kerridge PC, Wolfe MS, Frossard E, and Finckh MR. 2005. Plant productivity in cassava-based mixed cropping systems in Colombian hillside farms. Agriculture, Ecosystems Environment 105(4):595-614. Pech-Hoil R, Ferrer MM, Aguilar-Espinosa M, Valdez-Ojeda R, Garza-Caligaris LE, and Rivera-Madrid R. 2017. Variation in the mating system of Bixa orellana L. (achiote) under three different agronomic systems. Scientia Horticulturae 223(Supplement C):31-37. Picasso VD, Brummer EC, Liebman M, Dixon PM, and Wilsey BJ. 2008. Crop Species Diversity Affects Productivity and Weed Suppression in Perennial Polycultures under Two Management Strategies. Crop Science 48(1):331-342. Plieninger T, Hà ¶chtl F, and Spek T. 2006. Traditional land-use and nature conservation in European rural landscapes. Environmental Science Policy 9(4):317-321.

The Top 25 Grammatical Terms

The Top 25 Grammatical Terms Nouns and verbs, active and passive voice, direct and indirect objects, compound and complex sentences: youve probably heard these terms before. Some you still remember, and others- well, others may not be quite as familiar to you as they used to be. If youre in the mood to brush up on your grammar, this page is for you: brief definitions and examples of the most common grammatical terms. What I know about grammar is its infinite power. To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence.(Joan Didion) How to Review the Top Grammatical Terms If you want to learn more about any of these terms, click on the word to visit a glossary page. There youll find an expanded definition and several more examples, along with links to articles that examine related grammatical concepts in more detail. Put these concepts to work in basic sentence structures. A word of caution: learning (or relearning) these grammatical terms wont by itself make you a better writer. But reviewing these terms should deepen your understanding of how words are arranged in English to create sentences. And that understanding should eventually help you become a more versatile and confident writer. Active Voice Active voice is a type of sentence or clause in which the subject performs or causes the action expressed by the verb. Contrast with Passive Voice.(See also: Practice in Changing Verbs From Passive to Active.)Example:A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.(Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, 1991) Adjective An adjective is the  part of speech (or word class) that modifies a noun or a pronoun.(See also: Adding Adjectives and Adverbs to the Basic Sentence Unit.)Example:Send this pestilent, traitorous, cow-hearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig.(Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, 2007) Adverb An adverb is the part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.(See also: Practice in Turning Adjectives Into Adverbs.)Example:There I was, standing there in the church, and for the first time in my whole life I realized I totally and utterly loved one person.(Charles to Carrie in Four Weddings and a Funeral, 1994) Clause A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. A clause may be either a sentence (independent clause) or a sentence-like construction included within another sentence (that is, a  dependent clause).Example:Dont ever argue with the big dog [independent clause], because the big dog is always right [dependent clause].(Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive, 1993) Complex Sentence A  complex sentence is a sentence that contains at least one independent clause and one dependent clause.(See also: Sentence-Imitation Exercise: Complex Sentences.)Example:Dont ever argue with the big dog [independent clause], because the big dog is always right [dependent clause].(Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive, 1993) Compound Sentence A  compound sentence is a sentence that contains at least two independent clauses, often joined by a conjunction.(See also: Sentence-Imitation Exercise: Compound Sentences.)Example:I cant compete with you physically [independent clause], and youre no match for my brains [independent clause].(Vizzini in The Princess Bride, 1987) Conjunction A conjunction is the part of speech that serves to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.(See also: coordinating conjunction, subordinating conjunction, correlative conjunction, and conjunctive adverb.)Example:I cant compete with you physically, and youre no match for my brains.(Vizzini in The Princess Bride, 1987) Declarative Sentence A  declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a statement.(See also: Practice in Forming Declarative Sentences.)Example:A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.(Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, 1991) Dependent Clause A dependent clause is a group of words that begins with a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction. A dependent clause has both a subject and a verb but (unlike an independent clause) cannot stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a subordinate clause.(See also: Building Sentences with Adverb Clauses.)Example:Dont ever argue with the big dog [independent clause], because the big dog is always right [dependent clause].(Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive, 1993) Direct Object A  direct object is a  noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb.Example:All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my brothers.(Sophia in The Color Purple, 1985) Exclamatory Sentence An exclamatory sentence is a sentence that expresses strong feelings by making an exclamation.Example:God! Look at that thing! You wouldve gone straight to the bottom!(Jack Dawson looking at Roses ring in Titanic, 1997) Imperative Sentence An imperative sentence is a sentence that gives advice or instructions or that expresses a request or a command.Example:Send this pestilent, traitorous, cow-hearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig.(Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, 2007) Independent Clause An independent clause is a group of words made up of a subject and a predicate. An independent clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a main clause.Example:Dont ever argue with the big dog [independent clause], because the big dog is always right [dependent clause].(Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive, 1993) Indirect Object An indirect object is a  noun or pronoun that indicates to whom or for whom the action of a verb in a sentence is performed.(See also: Practice in Identifying Indirect Objects.)Example:Its a family motto. Are you ready, Jerry? I want to make sure youre ready, brother. Here it is: Show me the money.(Rod Tidwell to Jerry McGuire in Jerry McGuire, 1996) Interrogative Sentence An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a question.(See also: Practice in Forming Interrogative Sentences.)Example:What is the name of the Lone Rangers nephews horse?(Mr. Parker in A Christmas Story, 1983) Noun A noun is the  part of speech that is used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action and can function as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or an appositive.(See also: Practice in Identifying Nouns.)Example:Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.(Harry Burns in When Harry Met Sally, 1989) Passive Voice Passive voice is a type of sentence or clause in which the subject receives the action of the verb. Contrast with Active Voice.Example:Any attempt by you to create a climate of fear and panic among the populace must be deemed by us an act of insurrection.(First Elder to Jor-El in Superman, 1978) Predicate A predicate is one of the two main parts of a sentence or clause, modifying the subject and including the verb, objects, or phrases governed by the verb.(See also: What Is a Predicate?)Example:I dont ever remember feeling this awake.(Thelma Dickinson in Thelma and Louise, 1991) Prepositional Phrase A prepositional phrase is a  group of words made up of a preposition, its object, and any of the objects modifiers.(See also: Adding Prepositional Phrases to the Basic Sentence Unit.)Example:A long time ago, my ancestor Paikea came to this place on the back of a whale. Since then, in every generation of my family, the first born son has carried his name and become the leader of our tribe.(Paikea in Whale Rider, 2002) Pronoun A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.(See also: Using the Different Forms of Pronouns.)Example:A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.(Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, 1991) Sentence A sentence is a word or (more commonly) a group of words that expresses a complete idea. Conventionally, a sentence includes a subject and a verb. It begins with a capital letter and concludes with a mark of end punctuation.(See also: Exercise in Identifying Sentences by Function.​)Example:I dont ever remember feeling this awake.(Thelma Dickinson in Thelma and Louise, 1991) Simple Sentence A simple sentence is a sentence with only one independent clause (also known as a main clause).Example:I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.(Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, 1991) Subject A subject is the part of a sentence that indicates what it is about.(See also: What Is the Subject of a Sentence?)Example:I dont ever remember feeling this awake.(Thelma Dickinson in Thelma and Louise, 1991) Tense Tense is the time of a verbs action or state of being, such as past, present, and future.(See also: Forming the Past Tense of Regular Verbs.)Example:Years ago, you served [past tense] my father in the Clone Wars; now he begs [present tense] you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.(Princess Leia to General Kenobi in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, 1977) Verb A verb is the part of speech that describes an action or occurrence or indicates a state of being.Example:Send this pestilent, traitorous, cow-hearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig.(Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, 2007)