Crop
Rotation
CROP ROTATION
CROP ROTATION
Crop rotation is defined as a “system of
growing different kinds of crops in recurrent
succession on the same land” (Martin et al.,
1976).
CROP ROTATION
Crop rotation is a process of growing different crops in succession
on a piece of land in a specific period of time with an object to get
maximum profit from least investment without impairing the soil
fertility.
Advantages of Crop Rotation
1) Crop rotation helps to control weeds, insects, pest and diseases.
2) Rotation helps in the supply of organic matter.
3) It helps in the supply of nitrogen.
4) It helps in the proper utilization of all resources and inputs.
5) It helps in the best utilization of plant nutrients, soil moisture
and organic residues in the soil.
6) Rotation helps in the protection of soil from erosion, salinity and
acidity.
7) It increases the yield and quality of crops.
8) It improves the percolation, texture and structure of soil and
reduces the risk of creation of hard pan in sub-soil zone.
9) It systematized farm work.
10) It adds nutrients to the soil.
Principles or essentials of crop rotation
1) Local demand for the crop is the prime consideration.
2) Good rotation should essentially include green manuring
crops.
3) Rotation should create a constant labour demand throughout
the year.
4) It should have the flexibility to introduce alternate crops
under adverse condition.
5) Cover crops should be included in rotation to control soil
erosion.
6) It should include a food crop for consumption by the famers
and a fodder crop for live stock.
7) A heavily manured crop should be included in rotation to
maintain the uniformity of the nutrient status of the soil.
8) More exhaustive crops should be followed by less exhaustive
crops.
9) Selection of crops should be problem based.
10) Grain crops should be followed by legume crops.
11) Deep rooted crops should be followed by shallow rooted crops
Limitations of Crop Rotation
1) Rotation is not possible for perennial crops when
grown as perennial (mango, papaya, tea, rubber etc).
2) Topography of land limits the crop rotation.
3) Special demand or profit for a particular crop in a
locality is a limiting factor for crop rotation.
4) Soil types which is suitable for one or a few crops
does not permits to follow crop rotation.
5) Unavailability of inputs in appropriate time is a
limiting factor of crop rotation.
6) Instability of market price.
7) Different crops require various inputs which may nor
be available in the local market or may out of capacity
of the farmers.
Selection of Crops for Rotation :
Source of moisture (through rain or
irrigation).
Status of nutrients in the soil.
Availability of inputs (such as fertilizers,
pesticides, man power and machine power).
Duration of crop short or long
Marketing and processing facilities.
Selection of crops for rotation
Selection of crops for rotation
Selection of crops for rotation should be on two basis – growing
season and soil type.
Growing season: three growing seasons – Rabi, Kharif- 1 and
Kharif -2
Soil type: three major soil types – loamy soil, clay soil and sandy
soil.
Important Rabi crops: Wheat, barley, mustard, lentil, Boro rice,
potato, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, beans, T. aman etc.
Important Kharif crops: Aus rice, jute, cucumber, Indian spinach,
dhancha etc.
Crops suitable for loamy soil: Potato, jute, aus rice, sugar cane,
gram, pea, brinjal, lady’s finger, cauliflower, cabbage, knolkhol,
radish, bitter gourd, palwal, ribbed gourd, cucumber etc.
Crops suitable for clay soil: Aman rice, jute, wheat, sugar cane,
gram, pea, maize, sesame, linseed, onion, bitter gourd, chilli etc.
Crops suitable for sandy soil: Aus rice, potato, sunhemp,
groundnut, mustard, palwal, water melon etc.
Which crop should not be planted together or in rotation
The table below indicates which crops are in the groups that suffer from the same
pest and disease problems and which should therefore not be planted in rotation.
Table; Crops in the same group should not be planted in rotation
Four year crop rotation proposed by Townshend (1730) in Norfolk, England
Land 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Year
1st Turnip Barley Clover Wheat
2nd Barley Clover Wheat Turnip
3rd Clover Wheat Turnip Barley
4th Wheat Turnip Barley Clover
Four year crop rotation schedule for an area of 20 ha high land
Land 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Year
1st Rabi Blackgram Mustard Wheat Potato
Kharif- Jute (Tosa) Aus rice Sesame Green
1 manure
Kharif- T. Aman Indian Lady’s finger Cucumber
2 (HYV) spinach
2nd Rabi Mustard Wheat Potato Blackgram
Kharif- Aus rice Sesame Green Jute (Tosa)
1 manure
Kharif- Indian Lady’s finger Cucumber T. Aman
2 spinach (HYV)
3rd Rabi Wheat Potato Blackgram Mustard
Kharif- Sesame Green Jute (Tosa) Aus rice
1 manure
Kharif- Lady’s finger Cucumber T. Aman Indian
2 (HYV) spinach
4th Rabi Potato Blackgram Mustard Wheat
Four year crop rotation schedule for an area of 20 ha medium high land
Land 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Year
1st Rabi Pulses Wheat Mustard Potato
Kharif- Aus rice(HYV) Dhancha(GM) Jute(Deshi) Maize(Fodder
1 )
Kharif- T. aman T. aman T. aman T. aman
2
2nd Rabi Wheat Mustard Potato Pulses
Kharif- Dhancha(GM) Jute(Deshi) Maize(Fodder Aus rice(HYV)
1 )
Kharif- T. aman T. aman T. aman T. aman
2
3rd Rabi Mustard Potato Pulses Wheat
Kharif- Jute(Deshi) Maize(Fodder Aus rice(HYV) Dhancha(GM)
1 )
Kharif- T. aman T. aman T. aman T. aman
2
4th Rabi Potato Pulses Wheat Mustard
Four year crop rotation schedule for an area of 20 ha low land
Land 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Year
1st Rabi Boro (HYV) Black gram Sweet potato Grass pea
Kharif- Jute (Deshi) Aus rice(HYV) Mixed Aus B. aman
1 rice & B.
aman
Kharif- - - - -
2
2nd Rabi
Kharif-
1
Kharif-
2
3rd Rabi
Kharif-
1
Kharif-
2
4th Rabi
Four year crop rotation schedule for an area of 20 ha high land near a city
Land 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Year
1st Rabi Onion Cauliflower Tomato Potato
Kharif- Aus rice(HYV) Amaranth Dhancha(GM) Okra
1
Kharif- Snake goard Cucumber Gima kalmi Indian
2 spinach
2nd Rabi
Kharif-
1
Kharif-
2
3rd Rabi
Kharif-
1
Kharif-
2
4th Rabi
Four years crop rotation schedule
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