The Ecology of IntercroppingThe practice of growing two or more crops together is widespread throughout the tropics and is becoming increasingly practised in temperate agriculture. The benefits of nutrient exchange, reduced weed competition and pathogen control can generate substantial improvements in growth and yield. In this book John Vandermeer, a leading worker on the subject, shows how classical ecological principles, especially those relating to competition and population ecology, can be applied to intercropping. Despite the large amount of research activity directed towards the subject over the last 20 years, the practice of intercropping has, until now, received very little serious academic attention. The Ecology of Intercropping is unique in approaching the question of intercropping from a theoretical point of view. In addition the details of the approach will take as their starting point well-accepted ecological theory. Using this basis the author shows how the approach can be used to design and evaluate intercropping systems to improve agricultural yields. |
Contents
II | 1 |
III | 4 |
IV | 5 |
V | 6 |
VI | 9 |
VII | 13 |
IX | 15 |
XI | 18 |
XLIX | 111 |
L | 116 |
LI | 118 |
LIII | 120 |
LIV | 124 |
LV | 127 |
LVI | 129 |
LVII | 134 |
XII | 19 |
XIII | 23 |
XIV | 26 |
XV | 29 |
XVI | 33 |
XVII | 34 |
XVIII | 41 |
XX | 44 |
XXI | 46 |
XXIII | 47 |
XXIV | 50 |
XXVI | 52 |
XXVIII | 53 |
XXIX | 56 |
XXX | 58 |
XXXI | 59 |
XXXII | 62 |
XXXIII | 64 |
XXXIV | 68 |
XXXV | 70 |
XXXVI | 76 |
XXXVII | 84 |
XXXVIII | 86 |
XL | 89 |
XLI | 91 |
XLII | 93 |
XLIII | 95 |
XLIV | 100 |
XLVI | 103 |
XLVII | 106 |
XLVIII | 109 |
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Common terms and phrases
adaptive function alternative applied approach beetle biomass Chapter cloud of points coefficient of variation combinations competition coefficients competitive effect competitive exclusion principle competitive production principle compute corn cowpea crop species depletion zones diffusion ecological theory equation example expected facilitative production principle factors full intercrop fundamental niche graph growth hectare herbivore increase intensity interaction intercrop advantage intercrop yields intercropping research intercropping situation intercropping system interspecific competition leaf area index legume light environment light interception linear maize density maximize monocultural yields monoculture envelope negative niche nitrogen nutrient operative optimal overyielding patches pattern perennial pest photosynthesis plantation polyculture population density positive possible potential set predict principal crop probably problem qualitative question radiation reduced competition relative yield represents resource second species secondary crop shade shadow simple soil sorghum stipulate theoretical tomatoes trap trap-crop tree understory Vandermeer weed control Willey Y₁ yield set