Study shows that continuous cropping increases wheat water usage

Wheat harvesting

Incorporating a fallow period into wheat cropping systems is beneficial for wheat productivity, this has been known since the dust bowl days of the 1930's. Now a study carried out by Kansas State University also shows that continuous cropping increases the percentage of precipitation that can be used by the crop. "The wheat-fallow system accumulates water over a two-year period, producing a single wheat crop," said Aiken, who is based at K-State's Northwest Research-Extension Center in Colby, Kan. "Farmers really picked up on this in the 'Dirty 30s.' It's a long-standing cropping practice for good reason." Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers. To get your copy of 'PPLAPP' click here.