Crop Rotation With Pulses: How Farmers Can Improve Soil Health and Reduce Dependence on Fertilisers

Growing the same crop repeatedly can increase pressure from certain weeds, pests and diseases. It can also make nutrient management more difficult when the same crop draws heavily on similar soil resources year after year. Crop rotation offers farmers a way to change planting patterns across seasons and manage these pressures.

Rotating cereals with suitable pulses such as mungbean, chickpea or pigeon pea can add another source of farm income while improving nutrient cycling. Pulses form relationships with soil bacteria that help fix atmospheric nitrogen. The amount available to the following crop depends on crop growth, residue management, soil conditions and other farming practices.

Research at the ICAR–Indian Institute of Pulses Research in Kanpur has examined pulse-based rotations over long periods. Its findings show that including pulses in maize-wheat and rice-wheat systems can improve soil carbon, nutrient availability, soil structure and biological activity compared with conventional cereal-only rotations.

Five Ways to Plan a Better Crop Rotation

1. Identify Which Crops Fit Your Farm

Start by listing the crops grown on your land, their planting and harvesting dates, irrigation needs and expected returns. Then identify a pulse crop that fits the available season. Mungbean, chickpea, lentil and pigeon pea differ in duration and water requirements, so the choice should reflect local conditions.

Farmers should consult their nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) or agriculture department before changing their cropping pattern. A crop that performs well in one district may not suit another because of differences in rainfall, soil, temperature and market access.

2. Consider Adding a Short-Duration Pulse

In suitable irrigated areas, farmers may consider growing summer mungbean between two main crops. ICAR-IIPR research has examined rice-wheat-mungbean and maize-wheat-mungbean systems. Its long-term studies found improvements in overall system productivity and soil properties when mungbean was added to these rotations. <Cite refs={[“turn910490search3”]}/>

The additional crop must fit the available window without delaying the next major crop. Farmers should calculate seed, irrigation, labour and harvesting costs before planting. If water is limited or the season is too short, forcing in another crop may increase expenses rather than improve returns.

3. Manage Soil Nutrients Carefully

Pulses can fix nitrogen through their association with compatible soil bacteria, but farmers should not assume that every pulse crop supplies all the nitrogen required by the next crop. The benefit depends on biomass production, nodulation, soil conditions and whether residues remain in the field.

Use seed inoculants such as recommended Rhizobium cultures only where appropriate for the crop and variety. Follow the product instructions and local agricultural advice. Soil testing can help determine nutrient requirements for both the pulse and the crop that follows it.

4. Use Rotation to Help Manage Weeds

Different crops create different growing conditions for weeds. Changing crop type, planting time and field management can interrupt the life cycles of some weeds and alter the weed population over time. ICAR-IIPR identifies diversified pulse-based rotations as one approach to managing dominant weeds in maize-wheat systems. <Cite refs={[“turn910490search3”]}/>

Rotation alone will not eliminate weeds. Farmers should combine it with timely field preparation, suitable spacing, crop residue management and other locally recommended control measures. Identify the dominant weeds before choosing a rotation, because different species respond differently to crop changes and management practices.

5. Compare Profit Across the Whole Rotation

A profitable crop rotation should be assessed over the full sequence, not just by looking at one harvest. Calculate the costs and returns of each crop, including seed, fertilisers, irrigation, labour, machinery, harvesting and transport. This helps farmers determine whether an additional pulse improves the farm’s overall financial position.

Consider the availability of buyers before expanding pulse cultivation. Prices can change between sowing and harvest, and a crop may require extra storage or transport. Farmers can speak with local traders, cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisations to understand demand and selling arrangements before committing land.

What Do ICAR Studies Show?

ICAR-IIPR reports that pulse-inclusive maize-wheat rotations, particularly those including pigeon pea or summer mungbean, improved several soil indicators compared with conventional maize-wheat systems. These included soil carbon pools, nutrient availability, soil aggregation and water-holding capacity. The benefits varied according to the rotation and management practices used.

The institute has also studied rice-wheat-mungbean systems. Its research found that adding summer mungbean can improve the productivity of the overall rotation and contribute to better soil nutrient availability. These findings support testing pulse-based rotations where the climate, crop calendar and water supply make them feasible.

The results do not mean that every farm will see the same yield increase or fertiliser saving. Farmers should consider their own soil, climate, irrigation access and market prices, and seek local guidance before adopting a new sequence.

The ICAR–Indian Institute of Pulses Research publishes information on pulse production technologies and cropping systems. Farmers can also contact their nearest KVK or state agricultural university for advice on suitable varieties, sowing windows, seed treatment and nutrient management.

Visit the ICAR-IIPR website for crop production technologies and research findings. Farmers should also ask their local agriculture department whether seed demonstrations or pulse-development programmes are available in their district.

Crop rotation with pulses can diversify farm production, support soil health and help manage some weed and nutrient problems. Its success depends on selecting suitable crops, planning the calendar and calculating costs across the full rotation. Farmers should start with locally recommended options and use soil tests and expert advice to guide changes.