• Question: Why do farmers grow wheat on there field one year but grow barley on it the next? What are the benefits of doing this?

    Asked by to James on 24 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: James Taylor

      James Taylor answered on 24 Jun 2014:

      Dear itisme,

      There are many potential reasons for this.
      Sometimes it is simply to do with what they think the price of wheat and barley will be. They are trying to grow what they think will give them the best return (prices can fluctuate a lot, especially if everyone plants the same crop).
      Another comon reason is that barley and wheat are similar plants (both grasses) and if you continue to grow the same type of crops then you get a build up of disease and pest pressure for that crop. To break this cycle, growers grow an alternative crop. Often this is rape (aka canola), which has the pretty yellow flowers in April. This is a very diffent plant (not a grass) and has different pests and diseases. Without a grass (cereal) in the field, the disease and pest pressure for cereals will decrease. BUT, rape needs to be sown as early as possible in the autumn so it is well established by winter. Barley matures earlier than wheat and is harvested earlier, so gives farmers more time to prepare the land and sow rape for an alternate crop. Often you will see a field of barley and the next year a field of rape.

Comments