Soil and Water Losses from Corn‐Soybean Rotations

Abstract

Abstract Many people have observed what they felt was greater soil erosion by wind and water following production of soybeans. This experiment was conducted to measure the actual erosion following soybean production compared to that following corn production. Using natural rainfall plots at Beaconfield, Iowa, soil and water losses were measured from soybeans in a corn‐soybean rotation and from corn in this same rotation and grown continuously over a 7‐year period. Soil losses were found to be greater following soybeans than following corn in either a corn‐soybean rotation or in continuous corn. This means more precautions must be taken to control erosion when soybeans are grown on sloping lands than when corn is grown.