Agronomy Library > Event & Field Reports

What is Crop Rotation?
Author: RT LINKAGES
Date Created: February 28, 2007
Last Reviewed: February 04, 2009
A crop rotation is a systematic sequence of specific crops planted on the same piece of land year after year. Carefully planned crop rotations offer many benefits to farmers and can help overcome some of the associated problems of continuous cropping such as soil compaction, disease and insect cycles, and weed population shifts. Benefits of crop rotations: · Increases crop yield by improving soil productivity and soil-water use. · Reduces weeds, insects and disease problems. · Slows down pest resistance (weed / insect / disease) · Increases pesticide options (herbicide / insecticide / fungicide) · Improves soil fertility · Improves soil tilth and aggregate stability · Reduces wind and water erosion · Protects water quality Tips on Crop Rotations in Reduced Tillage Systems  A well planned rotation consists of alternating between annual spring cereals (e.g. wheat, barley, oats), oil-seeds (e.g. canola, flax, sunflower), winter cereals (e.g. winter wheat / fall rye / winter triticale), pulse crops (e.g. peas, lentils, chick peas) and perennial forages (grasses and legumes). Climate and market conditions determine the choice of crops in rotations. Pay special attention to the following factors: 1. Plan to grow only those crops that are most suitable to your soils and climate. 2. DO NOT GROW THE SAME CROP IN CONSECUTIVE YEARS. To reduce risk of pest problems, follow a crop with another that is not a closely related species. 4. Know the pest problems (weeds, insects, and diseases) and have a control plan in place – do not use a pesticide with the same mode of action on the same field year after year. 5. AVOID (black) BARE  SOIL! To maintain soil organic matter, rotate high residue crops (wheat / barley) with low residue crops (canola / peas) or use cover crops and chem-fallow (reduced tillage fallow). The previous crop selection has a major effect on the next crop in a rotation sequence. After the rotation is planned on paper, calculate expected yield and price and make adjustments if necessary. Future grain prices and marketing skills impact the economic success of crop rotation.