ABSTRACT
The most important architectural manipulation used in traditional farming systems is the stratified arrangement of crops commonly known as "multistory cropping." The vertical distribution of species within such systems constitutes the architectural structure. A multistory cropping system developed in Papua New Guinea started out as a mixed vegetable garden and then was slowly converted into a coffee/banana and finally a coffee/casuarina system. The architecture of the individual plant was taken into consideration by traditional farmers, especially in intercropping situations. W. C. Beets discussed multistory cropping with permanent and annual crops combined and multistory cropping with permanent crops only. Various forms of polycropping tended to reduce the seriousness of plant pathogens. Shade can have important effects on humidity, dew deposition, and temperatures, and these factors may reduce the severity of some pathogens. Plants under shade are under less water stress than those in full sunlight.
