6 BENEFITS OF CROP ROTATION ON LAND
Crop rotation is based on growing a series of different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons.
It helps a lot in reducing the loss of soil fertility, If the same crop is grown continuously, the plant drains always the same nutrients from the soil.
This eventually leads to nutrient depletion and soil infertility.
It prevents the piece of land or area to be invaded by pests, many pests specialise in a certain kind of crops.
Planting repeatedly their crop of choice, is setting a good basis for them to strive.
Practising crop rotation is, therefore, one of the most effective agricultural control strategies, as it comes with numerous advantages that are very important for reducing the use of chemicals that will destroy the composition of soil.
Below are some of the Benefits of Crop Rotation:
Better Nitrogen Management
Planting leguminous crops, legumes together with these nitrogen-fixing bacteria enrich soils with the “fixed” type of nitrogen guarantees your soil that it will be fixed with nitrogen through symbiotic bacteria.
This ensures that the following cereal crop cultivated on the same land will have a sufficient amount of this important nutrient for its healthy growth.
Improves Soil Structure
Soil structure is important because it affects how much space roots have to expand through the soil and how easy water, air and nutrients reach them.
For plants to develop a healthy root system and grow well the soil structure has to be good thus increasing the crop yield.
Rotating crops on the same land, improves soil structure because what basically happens is that you have alternated between deep and shallow rooted plants.
It Conserves Water
Crop rotation enhances water holding capacity of soils. Soils with good structure allow fast and thorough absorption of water.
It is then that some of this water is readily taken by crops, while the additional water is retained deeper in pores to be drawn by plants during a drier season.
Protects the Soil from being Washed Away
Soil erosion is basically removal of the top soil that actually causes many problems in modern agriculture.
Crop rotation helps the top soil from being swept away as they act as cover crops holding the soil in place and minimize its direct exposure to extreme sunlight rain and wind.
It becomes easier to control pest, weed control
Crop rotation that entails changing the type of crop that you grow there on each season will help you. Rotation of crops can prevent an outbreak of pests or diseases. This method has proved to being effective because the pests can’t stay on that land for long as they thought they would.
Reduced Soil Compaction
Cultivating the same crop for a long time brings about a likelihood that heavy machinery leads to soil compaction. By practicing crop rotation, we can help alleviate this issue, making it easier for air, water, and roots to penetrate the soil.
