What are the advantages and disadvantages of crop rotation?

Answer 1

Crop rotation can be an important land managment tool. Many farmers in the midwest have a rotation of corn and soybeans. Soybeans are a legume plant that have a symbiotic relationship with a soil bacteria called rhizobia. As the soybean plants grow, the rhizobia bacteria establish themselves inside the root system of the plant. These bacteria can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and put it in the soil. The nitrogen is then there the next year when corn is planted. Corn needs a significant amount of nitrogen so by having the stored nitrogen from the previous soybean crop a farmer will need to apply less, if any, additional nitrogen which is better for the environment and better for the farmers bottom line.

Another advantage of crop rotation is that a farmer can reduce infections of bacteria, virus, and pest that affect certain crops.

One disadvantage of crop rotation is that a farmer needs to have additional equipment to be able to harvest multiple crops.

Answer 2

Rotation of crops allows the land to replenish its nutrients and allows the land to be of use for a longer period of time instead of being used up completely and damaged beyond repair.