What is the difference between monoculture and polyculture?

Polyculture is the practice of growing multiple crops in one specific area of land, while monoculture means that an area of land only grows a single crop. A garden is an example of polyculture, and a cornfield is an example of monoculture.

Most early farming was monoculture. Although it produces an abundance of a particular crop, there are some disadvantages to monoculture. A farmer needs a large amount of land for each type of crop as well as a complex irrigation system.

Polyculture, by contrast, means all the crops are in one place, so less land and water are needed. It also produces higher crop yields.