Dataset: Broadbalk oats grain and straw yields 1996-2022

Citation:  Rothamsted Research (2025). Dataset: Broadbalk oats grain and straw yields 1996-2022 Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK DOI : https://doi.org/10.23637/rbk1-oatyld9622-01
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Example of the Broadbalk oats yield data

Example of the Broadbalk oats yield data

Summary

Annual oats (Avena sativa) grain and straw yields for each treatment plot of the Broadbalk Experiment, with details of all fertilizer and manure applications. Also other treatment and agronomic information, including details of all fertilizer and manure treatments, sowing and harvest dates, and oat cultivars. Winter oats were grown as part of the five-year wheat>wheat>wheat>oats>maize rotation on Sections 2-5 and 7, 1996-2017. No fertilizer N or FYM was applied to oats 1996-2017; PKMg was applied at the usual rates. Winter oats are now part of the wheat>wheat>oats>wheat>beans rotation from 2018, fertilizer N is applied at half the usual rate, as a single application in mid spring. FYM and PKMg are applied at the usual rates. Spring oats were sown in 2001 and 2020, as the wet autumn/winter prevented the sowing of the usual winter oats.

Methods

The Broadbalk Wheat Experiment was started in autumn 1843 to investigate the effects of fertilizers containing N, P, K, Na and Mg in various combinations, and organic manure, on the yield of winter wheat grown continuously. The treatment STRIPS extend the whole length of the field; each strip tests a different fertilizer or manure treatment. In 1926 the strips were divided into five SECTIONS (I-V), bare fallowed in sequence to control weeds. There were further divisions in 1955 making seven Sections (IA-VB). Each PLOT is a unique strip\section combination. In 1968 the experiment was divided into ten SECTIONS (0-9), to allow the comparison of wheat grown continuously with wheat in a three or five-year rotation. Wheat is grown in rotation with other arable crops (forage maize, beans, potatoes or oats) and fallow in Sections 2-5 and 7. Wheat only is grown in the other sections. Strip 1 was added in 1968, on Sections 2-7 only.

Yields from wheat and non-wheat crops are published separately. See section_names.pdf for full details of layout and the cropping plans for details of the different crop rotations.

Technical Information

Oats grain and straw yields are shown at 85% dry matter. Straw yield is that part of the straw cut by the combine harvester, and does not include the stubble or all of the chaff.

Strip 2.1 was also known as 21, 2a and 2A; strip 2.2 was also known as 22, 2b and 2B. By convention, the year is that of harvest (not sowing).

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Rights Holder

Rothamsted Research

License

Creative Commons License This dataset is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence (4.0).

Cite this Dataset

YOU MUST CITE AS: Rothamsted Research (2025). Dataset: Broadbalk oats grain and straw yields 1996-2022 Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK https://doi.org/10.23637/rbk1-oatyld9622-01

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Table Of Contents

An Excel file, 01-oatyld9622.xlsx, contains the Broadbalk oats yield components and treatment details, for 1996-2022. Frictionless CSV files are provided for users who prefer CSV over Excel files. A README file contains extensive metadata information. Section_names.pdf which shows the changes in the Broadbalk sections over time. BKstripsummary.pdf which shows the changes in Broadbalk strips over time and the different fertilizer and manure treatments.

Oats yields are from the BKOATS dataset in the e-RA database. Treatment details were taken from the Rothamsted Yield Books, published each year with details of each experiment.

In accordance with the Joint Code of Practice for Research at Rothamsted, data processing in e-RA follow rigorous standard operating procedures to ensure the quality and correctness of data collected in the field through to depositing in the e-RA database. To ensure quality control during data inputting, the data sets were typed on two separate occasions (double data entry). During the second typing (verification) the data values were compared with those typed on the earlier occasion, and any discrepancies were resolved before verification continued. This procedure also set out how to handle situations where the written records were illegible or ambiguous. This procedure avoided visual checking of data, which can be very inaccurate. Once the data were entered into e-RA, they were independently back-checked against the original data sheets.

We thank the many other Rothamsted staff who have been involved in the production of this data, including farm staff, field recorders, laboratory staff and data recorders, too numerous to mention.

  • The dataset Broadbalk oats grain and straw yields 1996-2022 is a published dataset from the e-RA Database. e-RA is part of the Rothamsted Long-Term Experiments - National Bioscience Research Infrastructure (RLTE-NBRI), which also covers maintenance of the Long-Term Experiments, the Rothamsted 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 funded by UK Research and Innovation - Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UKRI-BBSRC) under award BBS/E/RH/23NB0007 (2023-2028). The RLTE-NBRI is also supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust. e-RA has been part of a National Capability since 2012, previous awards from the BBSRC were Grants BBS/E/C/00005189 (2012-2017) and BBS/E/C/000J0300 (2017-2022)
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