Question

The method of growing different crops alternatively on same piece of land is called
A. Mixed cropping.
B. Multiple cropping.
C. Rotation cropping.
D. Inter-cropping.

Answer 1

Cropping pattern refers to the cultivation of one or many types of crops at different times of a year. Sometimes only one type of crop is cultivated on a specific piece of land all the time. Whereas sometimes more than one crop is cultivated at a given period. There is also a method where different crops are grown alternatively on the same piece of land.

Complete answer:
Option A Mixed cropping: When more than one crop is cultivated simultaneously in a piece of land in a specific period of time, it is known as mixed cropping.
Option A is not correct.
Option B Multiple cropping: The other name for mixed cropping is multiple cropping. It is one of the methods of cropping patterns where two or more types of crop are grown simultaneously on a given piece of land.
Option B is not correct.
Option C Rotation cropping: Crop rotation or rotation cropping is a method of cropping pattern where only one type of crop is grown at a given time on a piece of land, which is followed by growing of a different crop on the same land after harvesting the first crop. Thus, rotation cropping is a method of growing crops alternatively on the same piece of land.
So, option C is correct.
Option D Inter-Cropping: In this method, the following cropping pattern is observed, one row of a given type of crop followed by $2 - 3$ rows of a different crop.
Option D is not correct.

Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Note:
In rotation cropping, only one type of crop is grown at a specific time. In other methods, two or more crops are grown at a given specific time. Crop rotation helps prevent soil erosion, disturbs pest and disease cycles of plants, and helps in maintaining soil fertility. Thus, this method is more advantageous than other cropping patterns.