By crop rotation or field economy one understands the order of the kinds of useful plant cultivated on a agricultural surface in the expiration of the vegetation period and the years. Between the two, three and four-field economy are differentiated. In principle is to be differentiated further according to the organization form.

Emergence

In the antique and earlymedieval agriculture the Zweifelderwirtschaft was usual, with which the area of arable land was divided into two fields, of which one with grain was ordered, while the other one fallow-lay. Thus always half lay instead of a third of the effective area fallow in the comparison to the Dreifelderwirtschaft. Alternatively one could order the field with summer and the other one with winter grain, but the soil thereby strongly was taken up.

The necessity for a more effective agriculture led already in the Imperium Romanum, at present the Prinzipats, to the development of the Dreifelderwirtschaft. This became however only in 8. Century rediscovers.

In connection with the development of the heavy iron plow the were increased clearly by the Dreifelderwirtschaft. Besides the Dreifelderwirtschaft made the strengthened cultivation of Sommergetreide possible such as oats, by which again the horse attitude was made possible. Horses replaced the oxen in the high Middle Ages as course animals, because they can pull heavier plows and faster to work, thus increase the agricultural effectiveness. With the Dreifelderwirtschaft, which could keep over centuries as dominant factor cultivation form, is the surface one year fallow, i.e. it is not worked on and natural buildup as pasture is used. Usually in the autumn was plowed and a winter grain was sown. Outlasts the winter and in the following late summer is harvested. After repeated plowing and regular cultivation up to the spring (for weed control) a Sommergetreide was sown, which is harvested again in the late summer. Up to the next autumn the surface was left and themselves from alone. There was however also the "“black fallow"”, whereby the soil was regularly worked on (plow, harrows/selvedges,"…) in order to get the surface in the long term to a large extent weeds-free, which positively affects again the grain yields. If the Dreifelderwirtschaft took place first as crop rotation individually on the own in each case possession, then the so-called Dreizelgenwirtschaft developed in the high Middle Ages (sic!), with which the entire area of arable land of a village community was divided into three large fields, which were cultivated in the same rhythm (corridor obligation). Thus passage right could be void and access roads as well as turning surfaces for the plow, the country could be more effectively used. In Europe the basis for a strong population growth was created by these medieval innovations, that only by the plague wave in the center 14. Century one terminated. After the general spreading of the potato in Europe the fallow was replaced by a field use (above all Rotklee, potatoes or carrots). This system is called also improved Dreifelderwirtschaft. Starting from that 18. Century partly added one a further cultivation year with fodder plants for the supply of the utilizable animals into the crop rotation (four-field economy).

Present

Depending upon the quality of the soils and the regional influences of the weather today Monokulturen become (e.g. excluding wheat) in Northern Europe or two and/or uses three-year crop rotations, whereby also combinations seem as for example to Raps wheat wheat. By artificial fertilizers the necessary nutrients for each plant type purposefully broke in, so that the conventional agriculture is not dependent on the soil protecting cultivation way of the field economy.

By the agrarian reform 2005 a three-year crop rotation and a quiet putting portion (fallow) are prescribed for the agricultural enterprises.

Isolated in the context of nature protection measure names also today to the old restaurant forms one falls back. For example in the Brandenburger protected area Belziger landscape meadows of fields with changing strip grain, peas, Lupinen, Raps, clover and potatoes were put on. From it developing the mosaic from rotation and continuousfallow offers the ecologically necessary breeding and food surfaces to the endangered Grosstrappen.

Advantages

The cultivation of different plants leads to a differentiated up and dismantling of the feeding and mineral materials contained in the soil, whereby they remain keeping long-term. From this increased returns result (e.g. with the change of the two on the Dreifelderwirtschaft this amounted to approximately 20%).

In the 4-Felder-Wirtschaft for example on the field in the first year (potatoes) were cultivated, since these take most nutrients from the soil. In 2. Year was cultivated grain and in the third year, if possible leguminous plants (Leguminosen), since these bring nitrogen into the soil again. In the fourth year the field was let fallow lie (or used as pasture), so that it could enrich itself again with the necessary nutrients.

A meaningfully arranged crop rotation decreases in addition the infestation of the cultures by weeds, plant diseases and some animal parasits. Weeds can take less over hand, if the cultivated arable crop constantly changes. They are disturbed in particular by the different kinds and times of the cultivation. Many mushroom diseases with the grain can outlast and make at straw remainders in the soil a cultivation break for grain necessarily. They affect particularly negatively the yield with (winter) wheat, during e.g. oats and (summer) barley less sensitive are. Therefore the Dreifelderwirtschaft began a Sommergetreide with the quite susceptible Winter-Weizen, in the second year followed such as oats. In the third year the cultivation of root crops affected itself still more favorably than the fallow, there by the intensive cultivation (heels for weed control) much air into the soil arrived. Thus straw remainders with mushroom pores were better diminished.

Fruchtwechselwirtschaft

The Fruchtwechselwirtschaft is a form of the agriculture with on a piece country in regular intervals different plants to be cultivated. Here one differentiates between grain and sheet or root crops. The varieties of grain corn and oats take an intermediate position. With the crop rotation grain and sheet fruit in the change are cultivated. This crop rotation is regarding plant health to prefer weeds lesson and nutrient efficiency to the grain-stressed crop rotations these however economically frequently underlaid. In tropical areas the crop rotation can take place within a yearly: For example in the winter wheat, in the summer tobacco.

Articles in category "Crop rotation"

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