Rotational benefits of forage crops in Canadian prairie cropping systems

Entz,-M-H; Bullied,-W-J; Katepa-Mupondwa,-F
Dep. of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.

Abstract
Including perennial forages in cropping systems is recognized as one of the best ways to enhance agricultural sustainability.

A survey of 253 Manitoba and Saskatchewan producers known to include forages in their crop rotations was conducted in 1992. The survey area was divided into 6 agroclimatic zones and correspondence analysis was used to test whether responses differed across the survey area.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents indicated a yield benefit to grain crops from including forages in the crop rotation, with the greatest yield benefit observed in wetter zones of the survey area.

Eighty-three percent of the respondents observed weed control benefits (i.e., fewer weeds in grain crops following forages than in annual grain crop rotations) for one (11% of respondents), two (50% of respondents), or more (33% of respondents) years after forages.

The majority of respondents indicated that their forage acreage would not increase in the future. Average forage stand duration varied with agroclimatic zone, ranging from 3 to 5 years in wetter areas (south-central Manitoba) to 6 to 9 years in the driest areas (south Saskatchewan).

The two most common reasons cited for forage stand termination were reduced forage yield and damage by pocket gophers (probably Thomomys talpoides and Geomys bursarius). Less than 12% of respondents cited rotational considerations as their primary reason for terminating forage stands, indicating that producers are not managing their forage crops to maximize rotational benefits.

Producers relied heavily on tillage in both forage crop establishment and forage stand termination phases of the production system. It was suggested that decreasing the amount of tillage and fallow associated with forage-based cropping systems would not only facilitate increased cycling of forages in rotations, but also increase agricultural sustainability..

 

Source
Journal-of-Production-Agriculture. 1995; 8(4): 521-529

 

 

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Posted September 2007