Diversity of Crops in Rotation: A Key Factor in Soil Health and Crop Yields

Intensification of agriculture during the era of cheap industrial inputs neglected crop rotation; it was supposed that crop rotation could be replaced by fertilizers and pesticides. Now, we know better. Data from the long-term field experimentLong-term field experimentscrop rotation on crop rotations and fertilizers on the Typical chernozemChernozemTypical chernozem of the Bălți SteppeSteppe in MoldovaMoldova show that the effect of crop rotationCrop rotationeffect of crop rotation—the difference between yields of crops in rotation and yields from continuous monocroppingContinuous monocropping—is much greater than the effect ofFertilizationeffect of fertilization fertilizationEffect of fertilization, yield response to fertilizer—theLong-term field experimentsfertilization difference between yields of crops on fertilized and unfertilized plots. Fertilization diminishes the effect of crop rotationCrop rotationeffect of crop rotation but does not replace it. The effect ofFertilizationeffect of fertilization fertilizationEffect of fertilization, yield response to fertilizer is greater under continuous monocroppingContinuous monocropping because of poor soil health. Improving soil health by a diverse crop rotationCrop rotationdiverse that includes perennial legumes and grasses improves all soil functions and reduces dependence on costly synthetic fertilizers, irrigation, and chemical control of weeds, pests and diseases.