Woburn Organic Manuring
- Experiment Code: W/RN/12
- Experiment Site: Woburn
- Objectives: To test the effects of different types of organic matter inputs on crop yields and soil organic matter on a light and poorly structured soil.
- Description: Started in 1964 on the sandy loam soil at Woburn to test the effects of different types of organic matter inputs on soil organic matter (SOM) and crop yields. Initially six organic treatments (FYM, peat, straw, green manures and two grass leys) were compared with two fertilizer-only treatments. Arable crops were grown in rotation with an eight-level N test 1973-1980 to assess the effects of the increased levels of SOM achieved by the organic amendments. During this period, no organic manures were applied. There was another treatment phase from 1981-1986, when further organic manures were applied. Again, SOM increased with the organic treatments and the grass leys but continued to decline slowly where only fertilizers were applied. This treatment phase was followed by another test phase, 1987-1994, when six rates of N were tested on arable crops, and no further organic manures were applied. From 1995-2002 arable test cropping continued but only two rates of N were tested. In 2003 another treatment phase started. All plots, except for the permanent grass-clover leys (and beans when grown) were split to test six rates of N on arable crops grown in rotation.
- Date Start: 1964
- Date End: Ongoing
Key Contacts
Margaret Glendining
- Role: Data Manager
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6466-4629
- Organisation: Rothamsted Research
- Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
Andrew Gregory
- Role: Experiment Manager
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7123-0784
- Organisation: Rothamsted Research
- Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
Funding
- The e-RA database, including the published datasets generated from it, is part of the Rothamsted Long-Term Experiments - National Bioscience Research Infrastructure (RLTE-NBRI) , which also includes the Long-Term Experiments, the Sample Archive and Rothamsted's environmental monitoring activities including the weather stations and its role in the UK Environmental Change Network.
- The RLTE-NBRI is supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Grants BBS/E/C/00005189 (2012-2017); BBS/E/C/000J0300 (2017-2022); BBS/E/RH/23NB0007 (2023-2028)).
Keywords
- compost, farmyard manure, nitrogen content, peat, phosphorous, rothamsted research, straw
Experimental Design
Description
- 4 randomised blocks of 8 plots. 6 plots were in an arable rotation and 2 sown to grass leys. Plots in the arable rotation were split into 4 for nitrogen treatments for the first 4 years.
Design
- Period: 1964 - 1972
- Experiment Design Type: Randomized complete block design
- Number of Blocks: 4
- Number of Plots: 32
- Number of Replicates: 4
- Number of Sub-plots: 4
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Grass Leys | 1966 - 1972 |
| Grass Clover Leys | 1966 - 1972 |
| Barley | 1966 - |
| Potatoes | 1967 - |
| Wheat | 1968 - |
| Sugar Beet | 1969 - |
| Beans | 1970 - |
| Rye | 1971 - 1972 |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Natural Fertilizer Exposure
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peat | 7.5 t/ha | 1965 - 1972 | annually in autumn | sedge peat | |||
| Straw | 7.5 t/ha | 1965 - 1972 | annually in autumn | straw | barley straw | ||
| Green Manure | - | Green manure crops used were Italian Ryegrass, Trefoil and red clover | |||||
| Inorganic Fertiliser | - | ||||||
| Farmyard Manure | 50 t/ha | 1965 - 1972 | annually in autumn | ||||
| Inorganic Fertiliser | - | To provide equivalent PKMg as Farmyard Manure | |||||
| Grass Clover Ley | - | sown April 1965, ploughed either October 1971 or November 1972 | |||||
| Grass Ley Plus Nitrogen | - | sown April 1965, ploughed either October 1971 or November 1972 |
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Application: Sub Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | 25 kgN/ha | 1967 - 1969 | None applied to barley in 1966 | ||||
| Nitrogen | 75 kgN/ha | 1966 - 1969 | 25 kgN/ha to Barley in 1966 | ||||
| Nitrogen | 125 kgN/ha | 1966 - 1969 | 50 kgN/ha to Barley in 1966 | ||||
| Nitrogen | 175 kgN/ha | 1966 - 1969 | 75 kgN/ha to Barley in 1966 |
Description
- Each main plot was split into 8 sub-plots for testing eight rates of nitrogen.
Design
- Period: 1973 - 1980
- Number of Blocks: 4
- Number of Plots: 32
- Number of Replicates: 4
- Number of Sub-plots: 4
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Potatoes | |
| Winter Wheat | |
| Sugar Beet | |
| Barley |
Crop Rotations
| Rotation | Crops |
|---|---|
| 4 course rotation (1972 - 1980) | Potatoes > Winter Wheat > Sugar Beet > Barley |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Application: Sub Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Exposure | - | ||||||
| N1 | 25; 40; 50 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 25 to cereals; 40 to sugar beet; 50 to potatoes | |||
| N2 | 50; 80; 100 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 50 to cereals; 80 to sugar beet; 100 to potatoes | |||
| N3 | 75; 120; 150 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 75 to cereals; 120 to sugar beet; 150 to potatoes | |||
| N4 | 100; 160; 200 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 100 to cereals; 160 to sugar beet; 200 to potatoes | |||
| N5 | 125; 200; 250 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 125 to cereals; 200 to sugar beet; 250 to potatoes | |||
| N6 | 150; 240; 300 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 150 to cereals; 240 to sugar beet; 300 to potatoes | |||
| N7 | 175; 280; 350 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 175 to cereals; 280 to sugar beet; 350 to potatoes |
Description
- The preliminary period plots with treatments grass ley with nitrogen, grass clover ley, peat, and green manure were all sown to grass clover leys. The farmyard manure, straw and inorganic plots resumed their preliminary period treatments.
Design
- Period: 1981 - 1986
- Number of Blocks: 4
- Number of Plots: 12
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Beans | 1981 - 1982 |
| Grass Clover Leys | 1981 - 1986 |
| Winter Wheat | 1982 - 1983 |
| Sugar Beet | 1983 - 1984 |
| Oats | 1984 - 1986 |
| Rye | 1985 - 1986 |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Natural Fertilizer Exposure
Description: Applied to arable crops, cumulative to the same treatments in the preliminary period
Application: Whole Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmyard Manure | 50 t/ha | - | |||||
| Straw | 7.5 t/ha | - | straw | Plus 140 kgP/ha; 280 kgK/ha; 50 kgMg/ha | |||
| Inorganic Fertiliser Fym Rate | - | To provide equivalent PKMg as Farmyard Manure (280 kgP/ha; 560 kgK/ha; 100 kgMg/ha) | |||||
| Inorganic Fertiliser Half Fym Rate | - | 140 kgP/ha; 280 kgK/ha; 50 kgMg/ha |
Description
- From 1992 wheat was grown continuously, except for 1997 when rye was grown.
Design
- Period: 1987 - 2002
- Number of Blocks: 4
- Number of Plots: 32
- Number of Sub-plots: 4
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Wheat | 1987 - 2002 |
| Oats | 1987 - 1987 |
| Potatoes | 1988 - 1989 |
| Beans | 1990 - 1991 |
| Rye | 1997 - 1997 |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Natural Fertilizer Exposure
Application: Whole Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Green Manure in Preliminary Period | - | ||||||
| 8 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Peat in Preliminary Period | - | ||||||
| 6 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Clover Grass Ley in Preliminary Period | - | ||||||
| 6 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Grass Ley With Nitrogen in Preliminary Period | - | ||||||
| Farmyard Manure in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | - | ||||||
| Straw in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | - | ||||||
| Pkmg Fertilizer Equivalent to Fym in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | - | ||||||
| Pkmg Fertiliser Equivalent to Straw in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | - |
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Description: No N applied in 1992
Application: Sub Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Exposure | 1987 - 1994 | ||||||
| N1 | 50; 70 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | calcium ammonium nitrate | 50 to cereals & beans; 70 to potatoes | |||
| N2 | 100; 140 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | calcium ammonium nitrate | 100 to cereals & beans; 140 to potatoes | |||
| N3 | 150; 210 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | calcium ammonium nitrate | 150 to cereals & beans; 210 to potatoes. | |||
| N4 | 200; 280 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | calcium ammonium nitrate | 200 to cereals & beans; 280 to potatoes | |||
| N5 | 250; 350 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | calcium ammonium nitrate | 250 to cereals & beans; 350 to potatoes |
Description
- The experiment was modified to test further inputs of organic matter. An arable rotation was started on 7 of the 8 plots and the eighth was sown to a grass clover ley. The rotation plots were split into 6 subplots and tested a nitrogen sequence in the order N0>N1>N2>N3>N4>N5>N0...
Design
- Period: 2003 - Now
- Number of Blocks: 4
- Number of Plots: 32
- Number of Sub-plots: 4
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Rye | |
| Barley | |
| Beans | |
| Winter Wheat | |
| Maize | |
| Grass Clover Leys |
Crop Rotations
| Rotation | Crops |
|---|---|
| arable rotation ( - ) | Rye > Barley > Beans > Winter Wheat > Maize |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Natural Fertilizer Exposure
Application: Whole Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Organic Amendment | - | Previous fertilisers equivalent to farmyard manure and grass with nitrogen plots | |||||
| Straw | 7.5 t/ha | - | straw | Previous straw plot | |||
| Green Manure | - | Cover crop prior to spring sown crops. Previous green manure then grass clover ley plot | |||||
| Compost | 40 t/ha | - | Previous peat then grass clover ley plot | ||||
| Farmyard Manure | 10 t/ha | - | Previous fertilisers equivalent to straw plot | ||||
| Farmyard Manure | 25 t/ha | - | Previous farmyard manure at 50 t/ha | ||||
| Grass Clover Ley | - | Previous grass clover ley |
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Application: Sub Plot
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N0 | - | ||||||
| N1 | 30; 35; 50 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 30 to rye; 35 to barley; 50 to maize and wheat | |||
| N2 | 60; 70; 100 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 60 to rye; 70 to barley; 100 to maize and wheat | |||
| N3 | 90; 105; 150 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 90 to rye; 105 to barley; 150 to maize and wheat | |||
| N4 | 120; 140; 200 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 120 to rye; 140 to barley; 200 to maize and wheat | |||
| N5 | 150; 175; 250 kgN/ha | - | calcium ammonium nitrate | 150 to rye; 175 to barley; 250 to maize and wheat |
Measurements
| Variable | Unit | Collection Frequency |
Material | Description | Crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grain Yield Trait | t/ha | annual | AllCrops |
Site: Stackyard B - Woburn
- Experiment Site: Woburn
- Description: From 1930 to 1960 the field was cropped in a six-course rotation of sugar beet, barley, clover, wheat potatoes and rye. Winter wheat was grown on all plots in 1962 and spring wheat in 1963
- Visit Permitted?: Yes
- Visiting Arrangments: By arrangement.
- Elevation: 100 Metres
- Geolocation: 51.999805, -0.616036
Soil
- Type: Arenosol
Cambic and Luvic Arenosols, sandy to loam sand
Datasets available
| Title (hover for a longer description) | Year of Publication | Identifier | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
Experiment details | |||
| Woburn Organic Manuring Experiment organic manure chemical composition 1965-2019 | 2024 | https://doi.org/10.23637/wrn12-FYM-1 |
01 |
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License
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Images
Key References
2023
- Putelat, T. and Whitmore, A.P.(2023) "Optimal control of organic matter applications", European Journal of Agronomy, 143, 126713
DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2022.126713
2017
- Watts, C.W. , Glendining, M.J. and Castells-Brooke, N.I.D.(2017) "Woburn Experimental Farm Soil and Field Maps", Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research
DOI: 10.23637/ws-soil-maps-01
2009
- Johnston, A.E. , Poulton, P.R. and Coleman, K.(2009) "Soil organic matter: its importance in sustainable agriculture and carbon dioxide fluxes", Advances in Agronomy, 101, 1-57
DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2113(08)00801-8
1974
- Mattingly, G.E.G. , Chater, M. and Poulton, P.R.(1974) "The Woburn Organic Manuring Experiment. II. Soil analyses, 1964-72, with special reference to changes in carbon and nitrogen", Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1973 , Part 2 , 134-151
Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1973p2-136-153 - Mattingly, G.E.G.(1974) "The Woburn Organic Manuring Experiment. I. Design, crop yields and nutrient balance, 1964-72", Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1973 , Part 2 , 98-133
Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1973p2-100-135
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