Research Looks at Benefits of Diverse Rotations

By Elmer Heinrichs

The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) has created a series of twelve regional fact sheets from the Resilient Rotations project that compared over the last four years, different crop rotations to measure the drawbacks and benefits of diversifying crop rotations.

The resilient rotations project is part of the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster (ICAC) that is evaluating various crop rotations to help create more productive, sustainable, and resilient cropping systems on the prairies.

The project is led by Dr. Kui Liu, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

“We are approaching crop rotation by looking at a systems approach – all the elements that impact crop rotation from soil health, economics and yield to local growing conditions,” Liu said. “It’s a more holistic way to look at crop rotation and one we hope will provide new insights and options for farmers in western Canada in a more customized, prescriptive type of approach.” provide nutritious food for families.”

The team evaluated six different crop rotations at seven field sites across the prairies. There are three sites in Alberta, three in Saskatchewan, and one in Manitoba. Data from the four-year rotations have been evaluated by region based on yield, economics, and efficient use of both precipitation and nutrients.

WGRF executive director Wayne Thompson said agronomists, weed scientists, pathologists, economists, and soil health experts are involved in the project.

“It’s a testament to the diversity of factors that impact an effective, sustainable, and productive approach to crop rotation. WGRF invests in research like the resilient rotations project with the goal to help farmers make decisions that is the best fit for their operation,” Thompson said.

“Those who grow, produce and process food and beverages every day truly understand and appreciate the importance of providing high-quality and nutritious food,” he added. “FCC and our many industry partners are proud to support this initiative that provides food and cash donations, promotes food reclamation initiatives and supports school feeding programs.”

Since 2004, the agriculture and food community has come together to raise 141 million meals through food and cash donations for those facing food insecurity in Canada.

Canada’s agriculture and food industry is in a great position to help promote food security in Canada. The Drive Away Hunger program has been a catalyst for the agriculture and food industry to use food reclamation initiatives to support food banks. The campaign has encouraged more companies to distribute surplus perishable food products where they are needed.

“It is an extremely difficult time right now for our friends and neighbours on low incomes and the local food banks that serve them,” said Kirstin Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer, from Food Banks Canada. “We thank our partners and the positive impacts they have made in our communities.

Drive Away Hunger is a shining example of what can happen when the Canadian agriculture and food industry works together. Our sincere thanks go to everyone who made these outstanding results possible.”

To find out more about Drive Away Hunger, visit driveawayhunger.ca.

An example of the results are for the Red River Valley region research based in Carmen that indicates a high risk rotation had the highest Canola Equivalent Yield (CEY) which was 22-57% greater than the CEY of other crop rotations. The high risk rotation had corn, dry beans, canola and sunflower in rotation. Higher yields in the high risk and market driven rotations were mainly driven by the inclusion of corn in those rotations.

Another example is the Southern Prairie research that showed there was rarely one rotation that was the highest yielding at individual sites located at Lethbridge, AB and Swift Current, SK. In this region the high risk rotation had lower CEY in part because crops were not well suited to the environment where they were planted. Instead the yield stability of the intensified rotation makes it well suited for managing yield and yield risks. The intensified rotation includes lentils, durum, chickpea, and back to durum.

A survey to better understand current crop rotations being used on the Canadian Prairies, the desire to adopt different crop rotations, what would promote the adoption of new crop rotations (i.e., better: yields, precipitation use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency or economics) and challenges facing your crop rotations is also being conducted. The survey can be accessed at surveymonkey.com/r/VKMBWL5 and at wgrf.ca. The fact sheets can be found on the WGRF website. The resilient rotations project is supported by funding from WGRF, Alberta Wheat, Sask Wheat, Alberta Pulse Growers, SaskCanola, Manitoba Crop Alliance, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership a provincial-federal-territorial initiative.