Editing Crop rotation (section)

=== Carbon sequestration ===

Crop rotations greatly increase [[soil carbon|soil organic carbon (SOC)]] content, the main constituent of [[soil organic matter]].<ref name="triberti2016">{{cite journal |last1=Triberti |first1=Loretta |author2=Anna Nastri |author3=Guido Baldoni |title=Long-term effects of crop rotation, manure fertilization on carbon sequestration and soil fertility |journal=European Journal of Agronomy |volume=74 |pages=47–55 |year=2016 |doi=10.1016/j.eja.2015.11.024}}</ref> Carbon, along with hydrogen and oxygen, is a macronutrient for plants. Highly diverse rotations spanning long periods of time have shown to be even more effective in increasing SOC, while soil disturbances (e.g. from tillage) are responsible for exponential decline in SOC levels.<ref name=triberti2016/> In Brazil, conversion to no-till methods combined with intensive crop rotations has been shown an SOC sequestration rate of 0.41 tonnes per hectare per year.<ref name="victoria2012">{{Cite report |author= Victoria, Reynaldo |date= 2012 |chapter=The Benefits of Soil Carbon |title=Risk Management Guide for Organic Producers |publisher=[[United Nations Environment Programme]] }}</ref>

In addition to enhancing crop productivity, sequestration of atmospheric carbon has great implications in reducing rates of [[climate change]] by removing carbon dioxide from the air.