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Title: Crop diversity on traditional great plains wheat farms

Author
item VITALE, PILJA - Oklahoma State University
item EPPLIN, FRANCIS - Oklahoma State University
item GILES, KRISTOPHER - Oklahoma State University
item Elliott, Norman - Norm
item BURGENER, PAUL - Platte Valley Bank
item KEENAN, SEAN - Bio-West, Inc

Submitted to: Journal of American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2014
Publication Date: 6/11/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61775
Citation: Vitale, P.A., Epplin, F.M., Giles, K.L., Elliott, N.C., Burgener, P.A., Keenan, S.P. 2014. Crop diversity on traditional great plains wheat farms. Journal of American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. 77(1):145-159.

Interpretive Summary: Historically, the vast majority of cropland in the western Great Plains was either seeded to continuous monoculture wheat or was in a wheat-fallow rotation. Crop diversity and tillage system may affect wheat grain yield and net returns for farms in the traditional wheat growing region of the western Great Plains. Farm level data were obtained for four crop production seasons. Crop diversity was relatively more important to system economics than the type of tillage used. Net returns per acre were greater on farms that included a diversified cropping system, indicating that crop rotation and use of modern conservation tillage systems may increase overall farm profitability and sustainability.

Technical Abstract: Historically, the vast majority of cropland in the western Great Plains was either seeded to continuous monoculture wheat or was in a wheat-fallow rotation. The objective of this paper is to determine the combined effects of crop diversity and tillage systems on wheat grain yield and net returns for farms in the traditional wheat region of the western Great Plains. Farm level data were obtained for four crop production seasons. Crop diversity was relatively more important to system economics than the type of tillage used. Net returns per acre were greater on farms that included a diversified cropping system.