Profitability of Various Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Alfalfa Cropping Systems
2003
Singer, Jeremy W. | Chase, Craig A. | Karlen, D. L. (Douglas L.)
Producers are frequently most interested in economic comparisons of various cropping systems. We compared continuous corn (Zea mays L.) and continuous soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] with 2-, 3-, and 5-year rotations, the latter two including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), using either chisel plow or no-tillage practices. Crop yield and returns to land and management were evaluated. Yields for continuous corn (C-C-C) were not different from those in rotation [corn-soybean (C-S), soybean-wheat/soybean-corn (S-W/S-C), or corn-soybean-alfalfa-alfalfa-alfalfa (C-S-A-A-A)] for either tillage practice, but rotated corn had lower nitrogen (N) inputs. Soybean yield in the 5-year rotation was greater than for continuous soybean (S-S-S) in 2001 for both tillage practices, but in 2000, a tillage by rotation interaction resulted from severe crusting in S-S-S that reduced stand density and lowered yield for the chisel plow treatment. Wheat and alfalfa yields were not affected by tillage practice. Using average annual crop prices, the 5-year rotation generated returns that were 100 and 158% higher than for C-S using either no-tillage or chisel practices. This study confirms that producers who incorporate alfalfa into their crop rotations can significantly increase returns to land and management. However, returns for the rotation including alfalfa are more realistic where a viable forage market exists.
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