Pea predecessors in crop rotation: what to plant next year

Growing a large and constant crop in one area is possible only if agrotechnical practices and nuances are observed. One of them is the right choice of pea precursors. Like any leguminous crop, it requires individual selection of predecessor plants, careful care and suitable soil and climate conditions.

Peas in crop rotation

It is important to adhere to the established crop rotation rules in order to consistently obtain a large harvest. When growing crops, it is necessary to take into account the condition of the soil, atmospheric conditions and which plants were sown on the ground earlier.When choosing locations for peas, low competitiveness to weeds and susceptibility to common legume diseases are also important factors.

As a percentage, the share of seedlings in the crop rotation should be no more than 25%. The frequency of plant return to one site varies from 4 to 6 years to prevent the occurrence of root rot. With an increased infectious background, this period increases to 8-10 years. In order to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious pathogens and the spread of dangerous insects, experienced gardeners recommend planting pea crops separately from other legumes.

Tillage after peas

Preparation of the soil for planting for the next season after the legumes is carried out according to the autumn tillage system. The whole process of main processing is divided into the following steps:

During the spring-summer period, several layered cultivations with harrowing are required. The final cultivation is carried out to the sowing depth.
If the soil is sufficiently moist, semi-fallow soil cultivation is used.
The surface of the soil is processed with disc tools.
The soil is kept loose and periodically cleared of germinating weeds before planting new crops.
Before planting the next plants directly, the soil is disinfected in case of pest development, after which fertilizers suitable for the planned planting are laid.

Pea predecessors

Any plant varieties are recommended to be planted after winter and spring crops, potatoes, sugar beets.In areas with a low level of humidity during the growing season of seedlings, the main difficulty in cultivation technology is the elimination of weeds. For this reason, it is better to use as precursors those crops that contribute to agro-weed harvesting and maintaining the required level of moisture in the soil.

When planting in dry areas, it is worth choosing predecessors that dry out the earth to the least extent. Peas can produce a high yield in dry soil if sown after oats and barley. At the same time, it is important that the crops of the predecessors are fertilized and free from weeds.

The least clogged beds remain after tilled crops (corn, buckwheat, potatoes). In addition, when cultivating the land with these plants, natural mineral fertilizers are used, which have a positive effect on the next plantings by stimulating the activity of legume-rhizobile symbiosis.

What to plant after peas?

All leguminous crops do not accept secondary crops on the same land for two consecutive seasons. The following year, you need to plant plants that are comparable in their characteristics to this crop. Since, during the ripening process, peas release a large amount of nitrogenous compounds into the soil, after it, nightshade and pumpkin crops, cabbage and root crops should be grown in the beds.

During cultivation, the plant constantly suppresses weeds and creates an abundant vegetative mass.

Due to the rapid maturation, beds are freed in a short time and the possibility of processing for sowing winter crops opens up. In areas where there is a risk of leaching of residual soil nitrogen after pea harvest, it is recommended to plant crops that use this nitrogen for growth. These crops include not only cereals, but also winter rapeseed.A suitable option for cultivation after peas are catch crops.

What can not be planted after peas?

Due to the presence of common pathogens and dangerous pests, no pulses should be grown after peas. Otherwise, the harvest will be significantly lower than the planned figure. Due to the accumulation of wireworms, it is impossible to sow perennial grasses, as well as sunflowers, in the next season, since the residual seed debris will clog the soil for the next crops. Sudanese grass and flax are being excluded from subsequent crops due to the risk of carrying Fusarium.

For proper maturation of all grown plants, it is important to maintain spatial isolation. When planted simultaneously, peas should germinate at a distance of about 500 meters from all of the above seedlings. Such a measure helps to reduce the likelihood of damage to seedlings by weevils and aphids.