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Profitability Of Crop Rotations In Iowa In A Stress Environment, Derrick N. Exner, R. M. Cruse

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Small grains crops have traditionally been included in Midwestern cropping systems, but their use is restricted by uncertain yields, poor prices, and lack of on-farm uses in operations without livestock. We compared the corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) crop rotation to actual or simulated three-yr rotations at two sites in Iowa between 1986 and 1989. Water was generally more limiting than was nitrogen, which produced minimal response in the corn to which it was applied. April-November precipitation at Nashua, Iowa ranged from 59 to 111 % of average, while at Des Moines, Iowa it was 77% of …