Vyn measured erosion levels on plots in Elora, Ontario following an intense June rainstorm in 1994. He found that the rate of erosion in first year soybeans was twice as high as with other rotations, regardless of tillage system. The higher rate of erosion was partly due to reduced soil porosity, or the soil's ability to soak up water. Effective Pest Management Pest management includes the control of weeds, insects or diseases that compete with a crop and restrict its growth. The best pest management strategy begins with measures designed to optimize crop health because a healthy, well-fed plant is better able to fight off pests.
Field crops are susceptible to thousands of different diseases.
While some plant diseases are caused by environmental factors such as nutrient deficiencies, temperature, soil moisture, light, soil pH and herbicide injury, the majority of plant diseases are caused by micro-organisms or pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, nematodes and viruses. And continuous production of a single crop actually encourages the disease cycle by providing opportunities for the pathogen to reproduce and infect next year's crop. The level of infection accelerates the longer the same crop is grown in succession. Crop rotation is one of the most cost-efficient means of reducing pests. The disease cycle is broken by planting a non-susceptible crop into the residue of a host crop.