Cropping Systems
Cropping systems involve the strategies and techniques used to manage and cultivate crops, with key decisions centered around crop selection, rotation and practices like irrigation, fertilization and pest control. These systems aim to optimize productivity, conserve resources and promote sustainability. Over time, cropping systems encompass not only the crops and crop sequences but also the management practices applied to a field, taking into account both spatial and temporal factors.
While large-scale agriculture focuses on extensive crop production, horticulture is more specialized, dealing with plants cultivated for human consumption or aesthetic purposes, typically on a smaller scale. Small farms benefit from the flexibility of cropping systems, allowing them to diversify production and adapt to local conditions and market demands. Additionally, cropping systems can be integrated with livestock production, forming mixed farming systems that offer various ecological and economic benefits.
Announcements
We offer classes and resources on crop production topics, including the Pesticide Safety Education Course (Pre-License) and annual Pesticide Safety Re-Certification Training. For more details and to register, contact us at canyon@uidaho.edu or 208-459-6349.
Resources and Publications
Explore valuable information on a range of agricultural topics. These University of Idaho Extension resources can help guide you toward effective practices in crop production:
- Soil health — Learn about maintaining and improving soil quality to maximize crop growth at uidaho.edu/extension/soil-health.
- Water management — Discover techniques for efficient irrigation practices and water conservation at uidaho.edu/extension/publications/agriculture/irrigation.
- Pest control — Access best practices for managing pests while minimizing the use of chemicals at uidaho.edu/extension/ipm.
- Subscribe to the PNWPest Alert Network https://pnwpestalert.net/user/join/. The Pacific Northwest Pest Alert Network aims to enhance crop protection communication, improve management decisions, and provide timely pest outbreak information to the agriculture industry for better pest control and reduced crop losses.
- Sustainable agricultural practices — Find guidance on transitioning to and maintaining sustainable farming practices at uidaho.edu/extension/publications/agriculture/crop.
- Soil, water, plant and manure testing and analysis — uidaho.edu/cals/analytical-sciences-laboratory
- Explore more publications — uidaho.edu/extension/food
- UI Extension collaborates with the Cultivating Success program to offer a variety of educational programs year-round at https://www.cultivatingsuccess.org.
- Impact statements — Integrated pest management education (pdf) | Integrated crop-livestock system - A way forward in Idaho (pdf)
Need Assistance?
For personalized help, submit your cropping issues, upload relevant photos and provide your contact details by emailing jemila@uidaho.edu. I will follow up with you via phone or email.
