Agricultural Land Uses

1
Agricultural Land Uses

• Unit 2
• Chapter 20
• Lesson 3

2
Agricultural Land Uses

• Part 3 of soil scorecard
• You may only select ONE for each land site
• By looking at the various problems effecting an
  area, you must suggest the best agricultural land
  use.
• Best land use will allow a producer to profit but
  will NOT harm the environment or soil quality

3
Continuous row crops

• Row crop- any crop grown in a field in rows with
  soil space between the rows.
• Example Corn, soybeans, dry beans, sugar beets
• Select this option if
• Fine or medium textured or organic soil
• Nearly level (0-2 slope)
• Well-drained (no drainage, wet spots, or seasonal
  flooding problem)
• Only slight soil erosion present

4
Rotations including legumes or grasses 1/5 to 1/3
of the time

• Legumes hay crops (alfalfa, clover, timothy,
  etc.)
• Help hold soil in place with massive, spreading,
  roots
• 1/5 to 1/3 one hay/grass crop every 3-5 years
• Select this option if
• Fine or medium textured soil with gentle slopes
  (2-6 slope)
• Moderately coarse textured soil with level or
  gentle slope (0-6 slope)
• Slight to moderate soil erosion present

5
Rotations including legumes or grasses 1/2 to 3/5
of the time

• 1/2 2 years of hay/grass crop in a 4 year
  rotation
• 3/5 3 years of a hay/grass crop in a 5 year
  rotation
• Select this option if
• Any soil texture with a moderate slope
  (6-12slope)
• Coarse texture with level-gently sloping (0-6
  slope)
• Severe to very severe soil erosion present

6
Rotations including legumes or grasses 3/4 to
4/5 of the time

• Only one row crop in a 4 or 5 year rotation
• Select this option if
• Strongly sloping soils (12-18 slope)
• Severe-very severe soil erosion present

7
Continuous sod crops

• Sod hay or grass crop
• Land which requires a legume or grass crop full
  time for hay production or pasture use
• NO row crops ever planted
• Select this option if
• Steep soils (18-25 slope)
• Soils with a drainage, wet spot, or seasonal
  flooding problem

8
Orchard crops

• Trees grown for harvest or fruit production
• Select this option if
• Moderately coarse textured soils
• Gently sloping to moderately sloping (2-12
  slope)
• Slope is necessary to provide adequate air
  drainage to minimize cold weather damage

9
Woodland

• Land which trees should be maintained or planted
• Select this option if
• Very steep slopes (over 25 slope)
• Severe to very severe soil erosion makes the land
  unsuitable for sustained crop production