Diversification
Crop
rotation is considered an essential component of the conservation agriculture
for achieving higher diversity in plant production. Growing diverse crops in
sequence not only maintain the higher soil microbial diversity but also help to
explore the different soil layers and recycle the nutrients that have been
leached down to deeper layers. Crop rotation of different crops having
different rooting patterns in combination with minimum- or zero-tillage
promotes an extensive network of root channels and macro-pores in the soil, which
helps in water infiltration to deeper soil layers. The beneficial effects of
crop rotation are intensification of cropping systems with increased number of
crops per year, double cropping, and addition of cover crops.
Diversification/efficient crop rotation can increase soil C storage under
no-tillage and can contribute to a great extent to sustain agricultural
production.