Crop rotation is one of the most widely used methods to promote sustainable agriculture. Crop rotation is accomplished by successively growing a series of different types of crops on the same plot of land.
When only one type of crop is grown on a piece of land, the soil eventually becomes depleted of certain nutrients and plant yields in later years are significantly reduced and the use of fertilizer may be required. By changing the types of crops that are grown on the soil in yearly cycles, different nutrients can be restored back into the soil. For example, planting legumes like alfalfa and clover help increase the amount of nitrogen in the soil thanks to their capacity for nitrogen fixation. There are also other benefits for the soil. For instance, planting crops with short roots (typically vegetables) one year followed by plants with longer roots the next year (typically grasses and cereals) may help stabilise the soil and prevent erosion of the soil by water.
In addition, rotating crops prevents problems with insects, weeds, nematodes, and diseases that tend to affect monoculture crops.
Yields in crops that grow in rotations are approximately 10% higher than those that are grown in monoculture crops.
Crop rotation has been used throughout human history wherever agriculture has been practiced.
Source:
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 