By Dorinda Anderson

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Prairie Grains is the official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat, Inc., and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association.

Zach Fore, University of Minnesota extension cropping systems specialist, says doing a lot of little things right can mean a big difference to the bottom line in farming, and that includes crop rotation and selection. Crop rotation is more than just selecting crops from year to year; crops need to compliment each other so maximum yields are reached.

"When selecting crops, you want a sequence that optimizes economic potential," Fore says.

Optimal yields and quality also depend on knowing your production costs and yield potential; effective, efficient pest management techniques; resource use and timing. Weather is the wild card, but these factors along with the right crop rotation can give you an upper hand.

Fore encourages producers to seek out new crop alternatives, but at the same time, don’t give up mainstays that perform well in your area.

"I believe we need to make money growing the crops we currently grow, and over time we need to add new crops. I strongly encourage growers to dabble in some of these things like high laurate canola, or high oil corn or a seed crop – any crop that has to be grown to a specific set of standards and kept separate from other crops. Then, when these ‘identity preserved’ crops become more widely grown, the buyers of those products will go to people who know how to grow them and have experience growing them. But be conservative with it," Fore says. "Don’t convert the whole farm to something new too quickly. There is a learning curve for everything. The important thing is that you get on the curve and start learning."

According to information from Northwest Minnesota Farm Business Management reports, when calculating estimated net returns per acre using average yield projections, planning prices and gross returns, the only crops projected to have a positive net return for 1999 are yellow mustard, established alfalfa, sugarbeets and buckwheat. When profitability was figured from 1991-97, which included tough cropping years for small grains because of scab, crops with positive net returns included canola, confection sunflowers, established alfalfa, corn, navy beans, sugarbeets and soybeans, Fore says.

Obtainable but challenging goals for yield need to be set when selecting crops. "Look at your five-year average and add 10 to 20% to that. Look at past maximums for the yield you know that is obtainable, and then adjust as is reasonable and needed," Fore says.

When choosing the crop sequence within a rotation, it is important to consider diseases and weeds. Weeds can be thrown out of balance if the planting and harvest times are altered, which can be done if different types of crops are planted, such as perennial crops or fall seeded crops. "I think we have better tools than we’ve ever had for weed control but I think our weed problems are worse than ever…I think we relied too heavily on chemicals for weed control, and conditions in recent years have been good for weeds and bad for applying herbicides at the proper time."

Rotation also reduces problems with allelopathy, which is chemicals that leach from decaying crop residues and inhibit growth of other plants, Fore says.

Best crop sequences

When comparing various crop rotations, there is little good research data, Fore says. But there are trends that point to better sequences. For example, crop rotation research suggests the following:

The lowest yields are typically obtained by growing the same crop on the same field for more than one year. Wheat on wheat or soybeans on soybeans, for example.

It is beneficial to alternate grass and broadleaf crops every other year.

Some crops are generally better in rotations than others. Legumes such as soybeans and alfalfa are excellent crops to follow with grass crops such as corn or small grains. Legumes are beneficial for soil fertility, but also have other benefits in crop rotations.

The following table shows some of the results of crop rotation research. The data shows a general benefit to crop rotation compared to continuous growing of the same crop. These exact numbers should not be used for planning purposes, since the actual benefits to rotation will vary from location to location and year to year.

Another benefit of including more crops in a rotation is that weather risks and the growing season workload are spread out. For more information on crop rotations, Fore suggested a North Dakota State University publication, Extension Bulletin #48, (NDSU ag communications distribution center: ph. 701-231-7882) which looks at what crops are better to rotate than others, comparing cool season, warm season, perennial and fall seeded crops. It looks at the best way to rotate between groups and between types of crops.