Importance of Cropping Pattern

  • Increases Soil Fertility: Prolonged planting of the same crop type leads to the depletion of specific nutrients in the soil. Each crop type has a different nutrient interaction with the soil, and each of them releases and absorb different types of nutrients. Because of this, crop rotation increases soil fertility by controlling deficient or excess nutrients because it replenishes nutrients that are not available or absorb nutrients that are in abundance.
  • Increases Crop Yield: Cropping pattern increases the harvest obtained from a single seasonal harvest. Not only does one get a variety of crops after each season because of the incorporation of different crop types, but also a general bounty harvest. Some scientific evidence proves a 10 to 25% increase in crop yield in crop rotation rather than monoculture.
  • Increases Soil Nutrients: cropping pattern allows the land to regenerate and rejuvenate its self-nutrients without having to apply more nutrients through the use of fertilizers. Leaving the land bare for a season enable the land to restore the soil nutrients lost through absorption by plants harvested in the previous season.
  • Reduces Soil Erosion: it helps reduce raindrop impact on the soil and general erosion by water because the roots of the plants hold the top layer soil together. Trees planted together with crops in the farms also assists in preventing soil erosion.
  • Improves the Soil Structure: Cropping Pattern helps prevent soil compaction, thus improving the physical condition of the soil. Crop rotation improves the soil structure as well as soil texture. This allows for good conditions for seed germination and root proliferation.
  • Diversification and Reduced Cost of Production: The cultivation of certain crops requires less labor and machinery compared to others. It helps to distribute the workload and resources used throughout the year for which the cost of production of the crops decreases to a certain extent.