University of Duhok

Faculty of Agriculture
Department of soil & water

Crop Rotations
Prepared by: Supervised by:
Balqees D. Sarwar M.
Rasho Rasheed
 Headlines
Crop rotations
Historical Use
Benefits
Characteristics of Sustainable Crop

Rotations
Impacts on Soil Quality
Using Cover Crops in Crop Rotations
Principle of Crop Rotation
Monoculture
Problems associated with Monoculture
Examples of Crop Rotation Wisdom
Crop rotations
Crop rotation is the practice of growing a
series of different types of crops in the same
area in sequential seasons. Crop rotation is
beneficial both to the environment and to the
farmer.
Rotation is a planned
succession of crops
(cash and cover)
chosen to sustain a
farms economic
and environmental
health
Historical Use of Crop Rotations
Are Well Documented
Ancient Roman, African, and
Asian Cultures.
Middle Ages in Europe.
Farmers in Egypt rotated
their crop.
Benefits
Increase Nutrients
Increase Organic matter
Pest & Disease Control
Reduce Erosion & Runoff
Improve soil structure
Wheat after Break crop vs
Reduced Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Wheat after Wheat
Optimum use of land
Diversifying farm income.
Improved water use efficiency
 Characteristics of Sustainable
Crop Rotations
Include a diversity of crops/vegetative
types.

Provide satisfactory erosion control

Use longer periods of perennial crops and

high residue crops on highly erodible soils
and on soils with low inherent SOM.
 Characteristics of Sustainable
Crop Rotations
Use a combination of species (crops and
covers) and a sequence to minimize pest
problems, break pest cycles, and promote
healthier crops.
Include deep rooted grass cover crops, as
needed, to capture and cycle nitrates in the
soil and to reduce soil compaction.
 Impacts of Sustainable Crop
Rotations on Soil Quality
High residue crops and perennials increase
SOM.
High residue crops and perennials reduce
soil erosion.
Diversity in crop rotations increases
biological activity in the soil and diversity of
soil biota.
 Using Cover Crops to Enhance
Crop Rotations

Acover cropis acrop

planted primarily to
manage
soilerosion,soil fertility,
soil quality, water,
weeds,pests, diseases,
biodiversity in
anagroecosystem
 Principle of Crop Rotation

Choice of crop and

variety
Management of Crop
Marketing of Crop
 monoculture
The repeated planting of the same crop or
crops in the same place year after year. Each
year, the same crop or crops are grown in the
same field.
 Problems associated with
monocultures
Reduction of crop diversification
Decrease in plant nutrients due to the
continuous utilization of the same soil zone.
Change in biological activity of the soil.
Increase in crop specific pests.
Increase in specific weeds (generally of the
same class).
Examples of Crop Rotation
Wisdom
Avoid planting the same crop family in the same
field too often.
Alternate cover crops with cash crops.
Alternate deep-rooted crops with shallow, fine-
rooted crops.
Precede heavy feeders with nitrogen fixing
cover crops.
Avoid following a root crop with another root
crop.
Rotation Plan
Example of successful Crop Rotation

Write down the picture text

Crop rotations should evolve not
revolve
Referernces:
http://www.yankeegardener.com/resource/croprotate.html
http://www.letsgogardening.co.uk/Information/CropRotation.htm
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