Crop Rotation is the agronomic practice of growing crops on the same paddock in sequence. It has several benefits for soil and crop systems. Beneficial effects include lower incidence of weeds, insects, and plant diseases, as well as improvements in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Improvements in the soil’s physical properties include better water-holding capacity and aggregate stability, whereas improvements in the biological properties include an increase inorganic matter, which replenishes soil nitrogen (N) and carbon. Crops grown in rotation reduce greenhouse gas emissions because of the lower amount of N fertilizer added. For example, if cereal crops follow a leguminous crop, the rotation can fix atmospheric N through rhizobacteria. The selection of crops used in rotations is often determined by the crop’s commodity price. Farmers often return to continuous cropping systems despite the numerous advantages provided by rotating crops, especially if the specific crop prices are high. This decision has been an error over the long term. Crop yields have declined in continuous cropping systems, and there have been increases in input demands, leading to lower overall farm profitability.
