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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-03-16, Page 65Farm Progress '94 -Page 5A Good crop rotation is the key to successful bean production by Brian Hall "A good crop rotation is the key to successful bean production." Sound familiar? This production. advice is recommended for all, crops, but is especially important for bean crops, since they are, undoubtedly, the most responsive to crop rotation. Producers, for example, • who have grown white beans after a forage crop, have had much success in this regard. During the past several years as acres of soybeans have expanded, there have been more cases of soybeans following soybeans. Before considering growing "beans after beans", evaluate the risk .of reduced yields associated with it. A review of several field trials done in Ontario and in the U:S.A. reveal that a good rotation produced yields from 10 to 40 per cent higher than soybeans following soybeans. One of the longest term studies, at Purdue University, Indiana showed that over,an 18 year period, soybeans fllowing corn yielded 10 per cent better than when the preceding crop was soybeans. This STOCIi A['TCTION CENTRE. Large selection 'J• 11 Area Oriental Ras Very Reasonably l'riec'd USED FURNITURE & APPLIANCES ITUES. NIGHT AUCTIONS held regularly STRATFORD 271-8788 H.: nn. N. of Hwy 8 at ('sty I•innt,s (!nll for moo' info Local Eastern Calves: for Veal or Stockers LICENSED. DEALER Cali Tudor Wain - Goderich 524-9898. was true for both a no -till and con- ventional tillage system. In the same trial, corn yields were improved even more dramatically. Corn yields following soybeans were 8 per cent higher than fat - lowing corn under conventional tillage system and 21 per cent higher under a no -till system. Some field experience by growers in Ontario supports the yield benefit of soybeans in rotation. In Huron County a no -till farmer looked at the yield of corn .and soybeans in a field under two different rotations. The two rotations where a two year corn/soybean/wheat rotation. The comparison has been ongoing since the mid -80s. Corn yielded 20 - 30 per cent higher, and soybeans 10 per cent higher under the three year rotation. These were not a side by side comparison, but a field com- parison of two different rotations over the long term. Part of the reason given for the lower yield of corn in the two year rotation, was attributed to increased • stalk breakage and leaf diseases. Another interesting rotation com- parison was by a farmer in Lambton County who practiced no - till. The Lambton farmer sum- marized his soybean yields for 1993 across all his acres when soybeans followed corn or when they fol- lowed a previous soybean crop. Soybean yields varied between 36 and 42 bushels/acre when the previous crop was corn. When the previous crop was soybeans, the. following crop of soybeans yielded .from 19 to 41 bu/acre. In this com- parison note the much wider range in yields when the previous crop was soybeans versus corn. This was partly due to the better soil struc- ture and lower incidence of root rot following corn. Soil Structure and Disease Levels Soil structure has a tremendous influence on the performance of props and especially bean crops because of their poor, weak root system compared to other crops. Some crops such as alfalfa are much better at promoting good soil structure than other crops. A ranking of various crops in their ability to promote good soil struc- ture is as follows: forage grasses > forage legumes > winter wheat > spring cereals > corn > soybeans > white and colored beans. Soybeans and other bean crops add only a small amount of residue to the soil relative to other cropping systems. In addition, since these crops cover the soil for a shorter portion of the year than most other crops, soil deterioration and soil erosion potential increase. Grown continuous, bean crops deplete organic matter levels and result in deterioration of soil structure. This will show up in the field as increased crusting, soil compaction and uneven beans. The two most common diseases encouraged by short rotations or continuous beans are root rot and white mould. On clay.loam and silt loam soils, root rots and poor soil structure go hand in hand and ac- count for much of the yield decrease under shorter rotations. The one place where yields of soybeans are not reduced as dramatically when grown con - sinuous is on sandy soils. Here root rot is not as severe. There are other factors that will affect your decision to grow soybeans on the same field. The more often soybeans have been grown on a field in the past, the' more the risk you run of a reduced yield. Generally, you shouldn't plant soybeans on a field more than onc(; every four years. Problem weeds in a field such as sow thistle, bindweed, nutsedge, nightshade w ill also influence your decision. A safety tip Do you understand you all -terrain vehicle's capabilities and limitations for climbing and traversing hills, proper turning, and rollover avoidance? Did you know that it is illegal to operate an ATV on a public roadway? You'll need to get permission from private landowners before running your machine across their property. Otherwise, they can charge you for any damage that results from your activity. (from the Farm Safety Association) What makes our powershift the most advanced? It's simple. Every Sales & Service For ri t& AGCO to ALLIS ori of our new ACCO Allis 9600 Series trail -tors comes with it l'ower•l'EC'll transmission, the most• advanced puwersltift ever Put in a tractor. 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