A2048 - Intercropping for Grain Production in the Northern Great Plains

Sep 18, 2026

Intercropping for grain production in the Northern Great Plains explains what intercropping is and why producers adopt it, including potential synergies, soil-health benefits, lower production risk, reduced input costs, and improved land-use efficiency. The publication details how to plan effectively by focusing on crop selection, seed-size considerations, planting logistics, and how to manage seeding depth, planting patterns, and seeding rates for paired crops. Fertility guidance covers legumes, nitrogen fixation limits, residual nitrogen, and the role of inoculation for successful nodulation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

What is intercropping?

Planning ahead: considerations for intercropping

Crop Selection

Planting

Fertility

A2048 (March 2022) Intercropping for Grain Production in the Northern Great Plains (J. Jacobs, NDSU) Audrey Kalil, Plant Pathologist, NDSU Williston REC Clair Keene, Extension Agronomist, NDSU Dept of Plant Sciences Mike Ostlie, Research Agronomist, NDSU Carrington REC Justin Jacobs, Research Specialist, NDSU Williston REC Lana Shaw, Research Manager, AgriARM South East Research Farm What is intercropping? Intercropping is a term used to describe growing multiple crops together in the same field at the same time. The crops may be seeded together as a mixture in the same or alternating rows. There are multiple approaches to intercropping, but in this publication, we are specifically discussing planting and harvesting two or more grain crops simultaneously. Intercropping is not new in agriculture and has been practiced for thousands of years. Growers may be familiar with intercropping forages, for example, growing field pea and oat together or an alfalfa-grass mixture that are harvested for hay. However, adoption of intercropping for grain production is a recent development in the Northern Great Plains. Intercropping allows the grower to take advantage of synergies that may occur between crop species. For example, field pea can climb up canola stems, resulting in reduced lodging and enhanced pea harvestability. Reasons for adopting intercropping include an interest in soil health, reduced production risk, decreased input costs and increased land use efficiency. Intercropping can potentially manage production risk in one or more of the following ways: reducing disease incidence or severity, spreading weather risk among multiple crops, increasing crop competitiveness (biological weed control), reducing fertilizer needs, and increasing harvestability. In some cases, intercropping can increase land use efficiency by overyielding compared to a monocrop. Overyielding is when the combined yield of both crops is greater than the yield of either crop grown alone using best management practices. While there are potential benefits to intercropping, thorough planning is needed. In this publication, we present factors that need consideration and discuss in detail how to approach two of the most-commonly practiced intercropping mixes in the Northern Great Plains: chickpea-flax and field pea-canola. Planning ahead: considerations for intercropping Crop Selection Carefully select the crops you will grow together when intercropping. Pairing cool-season with cool-season crops or warm-season with warm-season crops is recommended. Consider if the intercrop partners differ substantially in maturity or the timing of their peak water demands and how this could be helpful or pose a challenge in your region. For example, if you are in a region where moisture is most abundant early-season but then tends to be short in late summer, intercropping a species that needs water early in the growing season with another species that needs water late will likely compromise yield of the later crop. Seed size is another important factor when choosing which crops to grow together. A substantial difference in seed size between intercrop partners facilitates post-harvest separation but can pose a challenge for optimal seeding depth. Regarding marketing of intercropped grain, keep in mind that some crops are considered allergens (e.g. , wheat or soybean) and are not tolerated as contaminates in certain crops if grown for the food-grade market. Planting Planting logistics are an important aspect of intercropping. Combinations with very different seed sizes can be planted in separate passes in a crossed pattern to allow for optimal seeding depth for both crops. However, seeding in two passes may not be practical on all farms. If the crops are planted in a single pass, determine if you are able to plant each crop at its recommended seeding depth. Planting one crop using the seed tubes and the other using fertilizer banding units may be an opti

FAQs

What does intercropping mean in grain production?

Intercropping means growing multiple crops together in the same field at the same time, either seeded as a mixture or in alternating rows. This publication specifically focuses on planting and harvesting two or more grain crops simultaneously.

Why do producers in the Northern Great Plains adopt intercropping?

Producers adopt intercropping to take advantage of crop-species synergies, improve soil-health-related goals, reduce production risk, lower input costs, and increase land-use efficiency. It can also help manage disease incidence, spread weather risk, and improve harvestability.

What key planning factors are emphasized before planting?

The publication emphasizes crop selection, including matching cool-season with cool-season (or warm-season with warm-season), considering differences in maturity and water-demand timing, and accounting for seed-size differences. It also covers planting logistics such as seeding depth, whether crops are planted in separate passes or the same pass, and how to choose rates by identifying a primary crop.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Bill Black