Crop Rotation Studies on the Canadian Prairies

George Jackson is a retired professional agrologist.

This book, written by a team of research scientists from prairie-based
Agriculture Canada Research Stations, is a summary of the findings of
recent crop rotation studies in the Prairies. It forms part of a review
carried out by Agriculture Canada to assess the need for maintaining
these costly studies.

This report, while targeted primarily to the scientific community, will
also serve as a useful reference for extension personnel. While written
in a scientific report format, the publication may be easily read and
interpreted by farmers. Students of crop rotation studies will find a
list of useful references.

The subject matter deals with a variety of crop rotations used in
various dryland farming areas of the Prairies. The studies reported
recognize that the farmers make their decisions based on the soil and
moisture conditions on their farms, the economic factors involving
input, yield, and market prices, and the risk factors involved in
growing a new crop or varying a rotation.

Some prairie farmers faced with changing markets for their wheat are
looking to alternative crops. They are also faced with the loss of some
of the weed and insect control herbicides and pesticides they have used
in the past. These studies make available information on crop rotations
that use fewer inputs and alternative crops.

The cover page of the report shows a view of the research station at
Indian Head, Saskatchewan, where crop rotation studies have been carried
out for the last 100 years. Historically, the interest in crop rotations
on the Prairies has varied inversely with the price of wheat. It may
well be that attitudes are changing.