Intercropping

Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops’ species simultaneously in the same field. The most common goal of intercropping is to produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of resources that would otherwise not be utiliszed by a single crop. Examples of intercropping strategies are planting a deep-rooted crop with a shallow-rooted crop, or planting a tall crop with a shorter crop that requires partial shade. Numerous types of intercropping, all of which vary the temporal and spatial mixture to some degree, have been identified: mixed intercropping, row cropping, relay cropping, etc. 

Research has shown that intercropping, along with conservation tillage (minimum tillage/no-tillage) and organic fertilisation, enhances soil quality and fertility by increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil nitrogen (N) levels. These practices improve soil moisture retention and reduce erosion, making agroecosystems more resilient to drought and erosion events. However, care must be taken to avoid potential negative effects on soil phosphorus (P) availability and to adapt practices to specific climatic conditions, especially in regions with low precipitation and high temperatures.