What is fallow and how is it used for water conservation in dryland cropping systems?
A fallow period refers to any time period when a field does not have an established crop. The most common purpose for a fallow period in a dryland crop rotation is for water storage in the soil profile for subsequent crops, although breaking pest cycles and matching crops to more favorable growing conditions are also reasons for fallowing. Summer fallow refers to not planting a crop at all during the entire summer growing season. It is typically used in rotation with winter-annual crops such as winter wheat or canola to store up summer precipitation prior to late summer or fall planting. However, even with good weed control and reduced tillage, precipitation storage efficiency is lowest during summer as compared to fallowing during other seasons.
