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2016 Logan County Fall Farm Outlook Magazine
Lincoln Daily News
Oct. 27, 2016
23
In the last few years, farmers across the country
have continued to plant corn in the fields. For
years, corn made more money for farmers
because of relatively high prices per yield when
compared to other crops, such as soybeans. Due
to lower prices on corn and higher prices on
beans, many farmers could be looking into crop
rotation.
So, the questions are: what happens when we
only plant corn for so long? How will it help to
change things up now?
Crop rotation is important for farming because of
its effect on soil. While plants and crops are able
to replenish some nutrients to soil as they grow,
replenishment diminishes over time if the same
crop is planted, as it draws on the same nutrients
over and over, draining the soil and reducing its
quality.
Corn, for example, can be described as a very
thirsty crop. Corn draws a lot of water out of the
soil, and it requires a lot of fertilizer to maintain
healthy growth. This is because corn also
requires a lot of nitrogen to grow. Planting more
corn year after year will require more fertilizer
with higher nitrogen concentration.
Growing more corn also comes with a risk of
depleting phosphorus in the soil. This may not
seem problematic in the short term, but it should
be monitored in the long term, as phosphorus
is especially helpful for corn crops in the early
stages of planting.
Another problem for farmers that can be
mitigated with crop rotation is weed control.
After continuous seasons of corn planting, some
The benefits of crop rotation
By
Derek Hurley
Continued ►