Bavappa, K.V.A.2014-07-162014-07-162007-02Plantation Crops Research and Development in the New Millennium, CPCRI, Kasaragod 2002 p-23-29http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4126Although plantation crops based farming systems in some form or other has been in vogue in different countries, scientific information on the desirability or otherwise of such systems has been meager. Research efforts made during the last two decades have shown that perennial plantation crops offer wide scope for the adoption of cropping and farming systems. Systems designed on sound scientific principles of land, space and solar energy utilization and managed under normal conditions with adequate inputs recorded higher production of both biomass and economic yield. A high and sustainable yield at lower level of nutrient inputs was indicated in coconut based high density multispecies cropping system. The systems had buffering effect against drastic fluctuations in the ecoclimate. There was improvement in root growth, soil fertility and moisture status, microbial activity in the rhizosphere of the component crops and increase in the population of beneficial microorganisms and microbial biomass. The scope for adopting a no tillage farming technology was evident from field observations as well as from the mixed cropping trials laid out in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines. It has been observed that cereals, tubers, spices, vegetables, legumes and fruits in varying combinations could be successfully grown in cropping systems in plantation crops. The integrated coconut-grass-cattle system with recycling of cattle waste and production of biogas has high employment potential and income generating capability. In the Mekong delta of Vietnam, a successful high density plant-animal-human ecosystem involving coconut, cocoa, black pepper, banana, fruit trees, pigs, goats, poultry, bee-hives and fish have come to stay. The need to focus the Farming System Research (FSR) in three directions viz., Farming System Analysis (FSA), On Farm System Research (OFSR) and New Farming System Development (NFSD) has been highlighted.enCropping/Farming SystemPlantation CropsHigh Density Multispecies CroppingPlant-Animal-Human EcosystemPekaranganSystem EffectArticle