Both Ukraine and Russia are large wheat producers, but in the last week of July, the first shipload of wheat since late February left a port in Ukraine. Who knows how stable future shipping arrangements will be? Is now the time for you to transition back to a three-crop rotation?

Ever since the corn-beans-wheat-clover rotation ended, experts have talked about the benefits of rotations. The common reason for not planting wheat was that it could never pencil out to be as profitable as corn and soybeans.

That’s why Purdue University’s 2022 Crop Cost and Return Guide was an eye-opener. On both low- and average-productivity soil, wheat was the winner for contribution margin, which is revenue minus variable costs. Even on high-productivity soils, wheat came in a close second to rotational corn.

Is the perceived lack of profitability in wheat real? The Purdue results should motivate you to do your own budget. Include agronomic benefits from improved soil health.

Hidden benefits

A new study shows including wheat once every four years with corn and soybeans can have many benefits. Research by Adityarup “Rup” Chakravorty with the American Society of Agronomy was recently published in Agronomy Journal. Researchers grew winter wheat once every three or four years with corn and soybeans. They found longer-term corn-soybean rotations containing winter wheat can be more profitable.

“Corn and soybean yields were higher when crop rotations included wheat,” says Ken Janovicek, lead author of the new study. “The greatest yield increases occurred in rotations that included winter wheat once in four years. The increase in corn and soybean yields when these crops are grown in rotation with wheat more than offset lower sale returns associated with winter wheat.”

Also, soils tend to be healthier and have better structure when crop rotations include small grains or forages. Good soil health and structure have far-reaching benefits.

“Inferior soil structure increases soil erosion and runoff risk,” Janovicek says. “In turn, that increases the risk of surface water pollution. On the other hand, good soil structure and health may increase water availability for crops.” 

The highest increases in corn and soybean yields came in later years of the study. These studies were carried out on two sites in Ontario, Canada. Near Elora, Ontario, the trial is ongoing for more than 36 years. Researchers observed continued increases in soybean yields over time when winter wheat was included in rotations. However, the largest yield increase was recorded in the past two years.

Straw was baled in the Elora trial. Removing straw did not reduce subsequent corn or soybean yields.

“That demonstrates that retention of straw is not needed to obtain greater corn and soybean yields when in rotation with wheat,” Janovicek says.

Rotations matter

Why is the Natural Resources Conservation Service interested in cropping choices? People who analyze soil health see benefits in diversity of crop rotations. There’s also a window of opportunity for using cover crops to build soil health. For livestock graziers, wheat offers another grazing opportunity. It also spreads out use of labor and equipment and provides an opportunity for raising straw. Plus, there’s an opportunity to install tile or grassed waterways after wheat.

Perhaps 2022 might be when you transition back to a three-crop rotation.

Brown is a district conservationist with the NRCS. He writes on behalf of the Indiana Conservation Partnership.