CAPF AC 2020 Q30: Science & Technology – Biology
Growing two or more crops in the same field but in different rows is called
- (a) Crop rotation
- (b) Inter cropping
- (c) Alternate cropping
- (d) Kharif cropping
Answer: (b) Inter cropping
Explanation
Inter-cropping
How to think: the clue words are same field, same time and different rows.
Rows are the mark of inter-cropping.
| Method | What is done | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed cropping | Two or more crops grown together, seeds mixed | No rows |
| Inter-cropping | Two or more crops grown together in a definite row pattern | Rows |
| Crop rotation | Different crops grown one after another on the same land | Different seasons |
| Kharif cropping | Crops of the rainy season, June to October | A season, not a method |
Why inter-cropping helps:
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nutrients | Crops with different needs are chosen, so the soil is used fully |
| Pests | Pests and diseases cannot spread to all plants of one crop |
| Examples | Soyabean + maize; finger millet + cowpea |
Answer: (b) Inter cropping.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Crop rotation means growing different crops in succession, not together.
- (b) CORRECT. Inter-cropping grows two or more crops together in a definite row pattern.
- (c) Incorrect. Alternate cropping is not the NCERT term for growing crops in rows.
- (d) Incorrect. Kharif is the rainy-season crop season, not a cropping pattern.
Key point
Mixed cropping: crops together, no rows. Inter-cropping: crops together in rows. Crop rotation: crops one after another on the same land.
Remember
Inter-cropping = two crops, same field, different rows.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up mixed cropping (no rows) with inter-cropping (rows).
- Choosing crop rotation, which is about succession over seasons.
- Treating kharif as a method of cropping instead of a season.
Exam tip
Rows = inter-cropping. If the question says seeds are mixed, the answer is mixed cropping.
Sources
- NCERT Class IX Science — Improvement in Food Resources (cropping patterns)
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — intercropping