A peanut farmer decides that she can make more money growing cotton and so plants her fields with cotton. The terrific yield of her fields is so encouraging that she continues to plant cotton for several more years, but each year her cotton yield decreases. What advice could you give her to increase her yield?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Planting peanuts in alternate years is a good idea because they are nitrogen fixers, which means that they can convert nitrogen from the air into a form that plants can use. This will help to replenish the soil with nitrogen, which is an essential nutrient for plant growth. Planting a different crop every year can also be helpful, but it is not as targeted as planting peanuts in alternate years. Using less fertilizer may not be effective because the soil may already be depleted of other nutrients besides nitrogen, and leaving the fields unplanted may not be practical for a farmer who needs to make a living.

A Peanut Farmer Decides That She Can Make More Money