Question

What were the advantages of the four-field crop rotation system?
A) It allowed all the land used each year.
B) Turnips provided food for animals, and the animal’s dung could be used as a fertilizer for the soil.
C) Farmers made bigger profits
D) All of the above.

Answer 1

Hint: Crop rotation is the practice of growing a variety of crops in the same area over the course of several growing seasons. It reduces reliance on a single set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, and the likelihood of pest and weed resistance.

Complete answer:
Crop rotation is the process of planting multiple crops on the same plot of land in order to improve soil health, optimize nutrients, and combat pest and weed pressure. Consider a farmer who has planted a cornfield. He might plant beans after the corn harvest is finished, because corn consumes a lot of nitrogen and beans return nitrogen to the soil.

In the early 16th century, farmers in the Waasland region (now northern Belgium) pioneered a four-field rotation, which was popularized in the 18th century by British agriculturist Charles Townshend (1674–1738). A fodder crop and a grazing crop were included in the four-crop sequence (wheat, turnips, barley, and clover), allowing livestock to be bred all year.

During the British Agricultural Revolution, the four-field crop rotation became a significant development. Ley farming refers to the practice of rotating arable and ley crops.

Crop rotation benefits include :
-increased soil fertility
- increased crop yield, and increased soil nutrients.
- Limits the Concentration of Pests and Diseases by Reducing Soil Erosion
- Weeds are less stressed as a result of this.
- Reduces pollution, diversifies the economy, and lowers the cost of production by improving soil structure.
- Regulation of Nutrient Absorption
- It allowed for the use of all of the land each year.
- Turnips fed animals, and the dung from the animals could be used to fertilize the soil.
- Farmers earned more money.

Hence, the correct option is (D) All of the above.


Note: Rotational cropping when this technique is used incorrectly, it causes far more harm than good. There is no need to experiment if one lacks technical knowledge of crop rotation because nutrient buildup can occur, which will take longer to correct. For the process to be successful, one must have the knowledge of which crops can be planted after which and in which season.