Agdell
- Experiment Code: R/AG/6
- Experiment Site: Rothamsted
- Objectives: From 1848- 1951 to study the effects of fertilizers and organic manures on four-course rotations (cereal, root, legume, fallow). Then to study the residual values of phosphorus and potassium applied in the period 1848-1951 and further applications since 1964.
- Date Start: 1848
- Date End: 1990
- Key Contacts: Margaret Glendining, (Data Manager), 0000-0002-6466-4629 , Andrew Gregory, (Principal Investigator), 0000-0001-7123-0784 , Sarah Perryman, (Data Manager),
Description
- Agdell was the only Rothamsted Classical Experiment in which crops were originally grown in rotation. From 1848 to 1951, three different manurial combinations (none, PKNaMg and NPKNaMg plus rape cake, castor meal) were applied to the root crops of two four-course rotations. The rotations differed only in their third course - roots, barley, fallow or legume, wheat. There were only six plots and only one course of the rotation was present each year. The root crop was turnips or swedes, the legume clover or beans. From 1920, club-root (Plasmodiophora brassicae) became progressively more damaging to the root crop, especially on the NPKNaMg plots as a result of increasing soil acidity. By 1948 the produce was too small to weigh, and the four-course rotation ceased in 1951. Soil acidity was corrected and the plots were then used to evaluate the P and K reserves accumulated up to 1951. During this period the original six plots were halved and two levels of soil organic matter were established by growing leys on one half. Subsequently, the plots were further sub-divided to build up different amounts of P and K in the soil. Crop yields were then related to the reserves of P and K in the soil and the effect of adding fresh P and K. The experiment ended in 1990, only archived crop and soil samples are now available.
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
There are currently no prepared datasets online for this experiment. However,
there may still be data available but requiring curation.
For more information please contact the e-RA curators.
Site: Agdell Field - Rothamsted
- Experiment Site: Rothamsted
- Visit Permitted?: No
- Elevation: 123 Metres
- Geolocation: 51.806242, -0.357553
Soil
- Type: Luvisol
Shallow Batcombe series, shallow flinty clay loam or very flinty loam over Clay-with-flints.
Experiment Design
Use the arrows to navigate between periods
- 1 - 4-course rotations - 1848 - 1951 - 
Description
- 6 plots, 2 each for three fertilizer treatments, in either the legune or fallow rotation. Only one phase of the rotation each year.
Design
- Period: 1848 - 1951
- Experiment Design Type: Demonstration strip design
- Number of Plots: 6
- Number of Replicates: 1
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Turnips | |
| Red Clover | |
| Beans | |
| Barley | |
| Wheat | |
| Fallow | |
| Root Vegetables | |
| Swedes | |
| Feed Legumes |
Crop Rotations
| Rotation | Crops |
|---|---|
| Legumes ( - ) | Root Vegetables > Barley > Feed Legumes > Wheat |
| Fallow ( - ) | Root Vegetables > Barley > Fallow > Wheat |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | Fertilizer Exposure | 48 kgN/ha | - | Every 4 Years | Ammonium Sulfate | Until 1912 a mixture of ammonium chloride and ammonium sulphate | |
| Phosphorous | Fertilizer Exposure | 41.5 kgP/ha | - | Every 4 Years | |||
| Potassium | Fertilizer Exposure | 224 kgK/ha | - | Every 4 Years | Potassium Chloride | ||
| Sodium | Fertilizer Exposure | 16 kgNa/ha | - | Every 4 Years | Sodium Sulphate | ||
| Magnesium | Fertilizer Exposure | 11 kgMg/ha | - | Every 4 Years | Magnesium Sulfate | ||
| Castor Meal | Fertilizer Exposure | 2242 kg/ha | - | Every 4 Years | Supplied approximately 121 kgN/ha. Until 1936 rapeseed cake was used. | ||
| Control Exposure | Fertilizer Exposure | - |
Factor Combinations
Factor Combinations are the combination of factors applied to different plots on the experiment.
| Factor Combination | Time Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NPKNaMgR | - | Applied to plot 1 (fallow rotation) and plot 2 (clover/beans rotation) |
| PKNaMg | - | Applied to plot 3 (fallow rotation) and plot 4 (clover/beans rotation) (no nitrogen) |
| None | - | No manures applied to plot 5 (fallow rotation) and plot 6 (clover/beans rotation) |
Measurements
| Variable | Unit | Collection Frequency |
Material | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yield Components | cwt | Annually | AllCrops | Data presented in publications as means, Rothamsted Experimental Station 1970. |
| Phosphorous Content | lb/acre | Phosphorus in crop and soil, published by Johnson and Penny 1972 | ||
| Potassium Content | lb/acre | Potassium in crop and soil, published by Johnson and Penny 1972 |
- 
- 2 - Residual Effects - 1952 - 1990
Description
- In 1958 the six original plots were divided, one half sown to ryegrass the other bare fallowed. From 1959 plots were further divided into 3 for a test of phosphorous; basal N and K were applied. The 1958 fallow plots were sown with potatoes, sugarbeet and barley, each crop testing the 3 rates of P.
Design
- Period: 1952 - 1990
- Experiment Design Type: Other
- Number of Plots: 6
- Number of Replicates: 1
- Number of Sub-plots:
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Spring Barley | |
| Spring Wheat | |
| Faba Beans | |
| Grass | |
| Fallow | |
| Sugar Beet | |
| Potatoes | |
| Oats | |
| Winter Wheat |
Crop Rotations
| Rotation | Crops |
|---|---|
| Three-course rotation (1970 - 1975) | Sugar Beet > Spring Barley > Potatoes |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|
Measurements
| Variable | Unit | Collection Frequency |
Material | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorous Content | lb/acre | Phosphorus in crop and soil, published by Johnson and Penny 1972 | ||
| Potassium Content | lb/acre | Potassium in crop and soil, published by Johnson and Penny, 1972 and Johnson and Mitchell, 1974. | ||
| Yield Components | t/ha | Annually | Published in Johnston et al, 2013, for selected years and plots only |
License
These media (images and videos) are
available under a Creative Commons
Attribution Licence (4.0) with attribution to Rothamsted Research.
Images
Key References
2013
- - Johnston, A. E., Poulton, P. R. and White, R. P. (2013) "Plant-available soil phosphorus. Part II: the response of arable crops to Olsen P on a sandy clay loam and a silty clay loam", Soil Use and Management, 29, 12–21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2012.00449.x
1994
- - Johnston, A. E. (1994) "The Rothamsted Classical Experiments", Long-term experiments in agricultural and ecological sciences, Proceedings of a conference to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rothamsted Experimental Station, 14-17 July 1993 Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden UK, 9–37
1972
- - Johnston, A. E. and Penny, A. (1972) "The Agdell experiment,", Rothamsted Experimental Station Report for 1971 , Part 2 , 38–68 Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1971p2-38-68
