Growing of erosion resisting crops

Crop species can be selected based on their ability to prevent erosion. Erosion permitting and erosion resisting crops should be grown alternately. Cereal crops such as maize, rice come under erosion permitting and legumes under erosion resisting crops. The fast-growing and deep-rooted trees or shrubs like Leucaena leucocephala, Erythrina sp., Gliricidia sepiumetc. are planted on the contour bunds of the hills to give it extra stability. The vertical spacing of these species should be maintained at 1.0–1.5 m and crops are planted between the two rows of hedge plants. By growing suitable erosion resisting and erosion permitting crops along with tree/shrub species on contour bund, sediment loss can be reduced to about 12-15%.