Farm Walk

Intercropping, sometimes known as polycropping, is the practice of growing two or more plant species simultaneously in the same field. 

Intercropping, sometimes known as polycropping, is the practice of growing two or more plant species simultaneously in the same field.  It can boost crop yields by up to 30%, reduce weeds, improve soil health and increase biodiversity. In field lab run in 2019, intercropping beans and wheat reduced the weed burden by 74% for two years running. 

Last week over forty farmers and researchers met at a farm workshop in Oxfordshire to share their experiences of intercropping, as part of the European project LEGUMINOSE. The event was kindly hosted by Ben Adams, who is in the middle of his own intercropping trial.  

Intercropping wrongly labelled a hassle 

Despite being such a sustainable and efficient way of producing food, it is still a niche practice in Europe (only 2% of arable land is used for intercropping). One organic farmer at the event, who already practices intercropping, suggested that this is because there is not enough knowledge sharing among farmers: “it’s perceived as being a hassle” he added, “but in my experience it doesn’t have to be”.

To boost knowledge and share experiences in intercropping is the main goal of the field lab and the LEGUMINOSE project in general. 
The attendees separated into groups to discuss their own experiences of intercropping, and the perceived barriers and opportunities.  

The barriers to intercropping

Some familiar issues were raised:

  • The possible difficulty of separation
  • Timing the harvest right so both crops are ready
  • On-farm storage
  • The potential of contamination if the crops are going to a human market.  

Opportunities and benefits of the intercropping:

The group discussed some of the opportunities too.

  • Reduced need for inputs (artificial fertiliser & herbicides),
  • Increased biodiversity
  • Spreading the risk of crop failure
  • Weed suppression 
  • The legacy effect of the nitrogen in the soil.

Ben Adam’s farm walk

The group then went to look at Ben Adam’s 8 in-field trial plots, each with a different mix of 2 or 3 crops including beans, oats, vetch, peas, OSR and barley.  Of the 8 plots the best combination at this point in the growing season was beans and oats.  The oats in this plot were significantly greener than in the neighbouring plot containing oats and vetch.  This raised the question of whether there was any transfer of nitrogen (N) from the beans to the oats, even at this early stage of growth, and highlighted how the relationship between intercropped legumes and cereals is not yet fully understood.

Practical considerations of intercropping

The group also discussed more practical issues, such as combining, and Ben agreed that harvest was likely to be a little more complicated than with a monocrop, especially with smaller seeds such as vetch, but he was confident they would work through it.

Ben also noted that there were other benefits of intercropping such as stackable SFI payments which made the crop even more financially rewarding.  

Next event for your diaries

The next LEGUMINOSE farm workshop will be held in the autumn. For more information on the LEGUMINOSE project, or if you’re interested in taking part in the field lab, contact Jerry Alford [email protected]

 

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Innovative Farmers was established in 2012 by the Soil Association with the aim of bringing scientific rigour to on-farm trials co-designed by farmers and researchers. With a focus on sustainability and resilience, groups come together on discrete topics and on-farm trials addressing the topics that matter to them.

A weed can have many definitions, one being, any plant growing in a place it is not wanted. This topic focuses mainly on weeds affecting agriculture. Generally weeds are classified into two groups: grass-weeds (e.g Black-grass, Italian ryegrass, Bromes) and broad-leaved weeds (e.g Mayweed, Chickweed, Poppy, Cleavers). 

Intercropping is a method of planting two or more crops in close proximity to each other, either in alternate rows or in the same row. The goal of intercropping is to maximize the use of available space and resources, such as sunlight, water, and nutrients. It can also help to improve soil health and increase crop diversity, which can provide a range of benefits including increased resistance to pests and diseases, and a longer harvest season.

Integrated farming is a type of farming that aims to maximize the efficiency and productivity of the farm by integrating different types of crops and animals into a single system.

IWM involves using numerous weed control methods to try and manage a weed problem sustainably. Whilst herbicides can still be used as part of an IWM approach, a major aim is to reduce reliance on them by also incorporating methods including, cultural, mechanical, biological, thermal and genetic control. A combination of such approaches can allow for optimal control of a specific weed problem. Related topics on FarmPEP include herbicides and herbicide resistance. You can also view the topic pages on grass weeds and broad-leaved weeds which provide examples of suitable control methods.