Agronomic and economic performance of organic forage, quinoa, and grain crop rotations in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest, USA

Summary

This field-based study evaluated the agronomic performance and economic viability of three organic crop rotation systems in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest, comparing systems that incorporated forage, quinoa, and grain crops. The research, as suggested by the title and journal context, assessed both productivity and financial returns under organic management in a climatically and geographically distinct region. The findings contribute evidence on the economic and production sustainability of diversified organic rotations for regional farmers.

UK applicability

The Palouse region has distinct climate, soil, and topography compared to most UK farming regions; direct agronomic transferability may be limited. However, the methodological approach to evaluating economic and agronomic trade-offs in organic crop rotations could inform UK organic farming research, particularly in cooler temperate regions with similar rotational practices.

Key measures

Crop yields, agronomic productivity metrics, production costs, farm profitability, economic returns, rotation system performance

Outcomes reported

The study measured agronomic productivity (yield, crop performance) and economic viability (costs, returns, profitability) across three organic crop rotation systems incorporating forage, quinoa, and grain crops. The research assessed both production efficiency and financial sustainability under organic management in a specific regional context.

Topic tags