Importance of Crop Rotation

To be a successful farmer one must first know the nature of the soil - Xenophon, ancient Greek philosopher and historian, student of Socrates, Circa 430 - 354 BC.

Crop rotation is the practice of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land to improve soil health, optimize nutrients in the soil, and combat pest and weed pressure.

Several problems begin to creep up when you don’t rotate crops. All these problems can lead to decreased yields over the course of several years.

First, the land itself can become “tired” and less fertile. This is because if the same type of crop is planted in the same area, the plant will continue to drain same nutrients from the soil.

Second, certain pests can reach levels that are hard to control. This happens when pests learn to make a home in a field that always has the same type of crop.

Finally, land is more susceptible to the forces of erosion if the same type of crop remains season after season.

The following are the environmental benefits of crop rotation:

1. Crop rotation helps to create a biodiversity soil which reduces the chance of soil bound organisms to get a pest and reducing the use of pesticides;

2. Crop rotation helps to minimize the growth of herbs getting a weed that needs to be eradicated and so reducing the use of pesticides;

3. Crop rotation helps getting a good soil structure (alternatively shallow and deep rooting roots), high organic matter, good water provision, especially in combination with conservation tillage, resulting in a higher yield;

4. Crop rotation, especially performed with nitrogen-fixating rotation crops, will reduce the input of fertilizers and so reduce the pollution by nitrogen; a high nitrogen-supply will even contribute to soil organic matter depletion;

5. Crop rotation reduces the number of synthetic fertilizers and that’s why the water pollution caused by nitrogen will also be cut; and

6. Crop rotation, especially combined with conservation tillage, will lead to higher soil-carbon content and so contribute to combating climate change.

Crops should be rotated on at least a 3 to 4 year cycle. They should be rotated every year. An example of crop rotation could be as follows; Legumes (groundnuts, green beans) with Nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers) or Umbels (carrots) or Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) or Allium (onions, garlic).

Let's practice safe farming because farming is a business.

Farmers aim at making soils better.

by Zhunga Simbwalanga

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