Monocropping and Monoculture Monocropping

It is the practice of planting one type of annual crop on a plot of land at a time and harvesting it before another type of crop is planted on the same plot. Monoculture, on the other hand , is the practice of growing only one type of crop plant continuously On a piece of land. Most of these crops are perennials. Examples of monoculture are oil palm plantations and citrus orchards.

   Monocropping   and monoculture are commercial farming practices which are carried out on a large scale. In these farming practices the land is under cultivation all the time. The farms have to be managed properly to ensure maximum crop production and to maintain soil fertility. Thus, manure and fertilizers are used to keep weeds in check; herbicides are used to keep weeds in check; fungicide is used to control fungal diseases that attack the crops to prevent insects pests from eating or damaging them.

Mixed farming

This types of commercial farming combines livestock rearing with crop production. It I'd usually carried out on a smaller scale than monoculture. In this farming practice, farmyard manure is used to enrich the soil, while crop by products such as straw, ground but haulms, and cowpea and soya bean  tops  serve as livestock feed. Some of the animals also serve as a means of transport and provide labour for ploughing.