Hoosfield Barley
- Experiment Code: R/HB/2
- Experiment Site: Rothamsted
- Objectives: To test the effects of different inorganic fertilizers (supplying the elements N, P, K Mg and sodium silicate) and farmyard manure (FYM) on the yield of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare)
- Description: Started in 1852, spring barley has been grown continuously on the site since then. The experiment offers interesting contrasts to Broadbalk; because it is spring sown it has only been necessary to fallow it four times to control weeds and it tests not only nitrogen, minerals and FYM but also sodium silicate.
- Date Start: 1852
- Date End: Ongoing
Key Contacts
Andrew Gregory
- Role: Principal Investigator
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7123-0784
- Organisation: Rothamsted Research
- Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
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
Sarah Perryman
- Role: Data Manager
- Organisation: Rothamsted Research
- Address: West Common, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
Funding
- The e-RA Database, is part of the National Capabilities , which also includes the Long-Term Experiment , the Sample Archive and the Environmental Change Network.
- The Rothamsted Long-term Experiments National Capability is supported by the Lawes Agricultural Trust and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Grants BBS/E/C/00005189) (2012-2017) and BBS/E/C/000J0300 ) (2017-2022)).
Experimental Design
Description
- Four combinations of nutrients were tested in a factorial design (strips 1-4): 0 v P v KMgNa v PKMgNa. This series was crossed by four series testing either no N or three forms of N usually applied at 48kgNha-1 (Series O, no N; Series A, ammonium sulphate; Series AA, sodium nitrate; Series C, rape cake, later castor meal). Four additional plots test: unmanured (plot 61); ashes, 1852-1932 (plot 62); residues of FYM applied 1852-1871 (plot 71); FYM since 1852 (plot 72). The sodium nitrate series was divided in 1862 for a test of with and without sodium silicate, to see what effect this had on straw strength, which was used in large quantities in the local hat factories at that time.
Design
- Period: 1852 - 1967
- Number of Blocks: 16
- Number of Replicates: 1
- Number of Sub-plots:
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Spring Barley | 1852 - |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Description: nitrogen fertilizer in various forms applied annually
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammonium Sulphate (series A) | 48 kgN/ha | 1852 - 1966 | annually | spring barley | ammonium sulfate | Applied in the spring. | |
| Sodium Nitrate (series Aa) Plots 1aa-4aa | 48 kgN/ha | 1852 - 1966 | annually | spring barley | sodium sulphate | Applied in spring. | |
| Castor Meal (series C) Plots 1c-4c | 48 kgN/ha | 1852 - 1967 | annually | spring barley | Castor bean meal since 1941, rape cake 1852-1940. | ||
| No Nitrogen (series O) Plots 1o-4o | 0 kgN/ha | 1852 - 1967 | spring barley |
Phosphate Fertilizer Exposure
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 35 kgP/ha | 1852 - 1966 | annually | spring barley | triple superphosphate | applied in the spring |
Potassium Fertilizer Exposure
Description: inorganic potassium fertilizer applied, along with 11kgMg and 16kgNa fertilizer
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knamg | 90 kgK/ha | 1852 - 1966 | annually | spring barley | potassium sulphate | Applied in the spring, along with 16kgNa/ha as sodium sulphate and 11kgMg/ha as magnesium sulphate |
Farmyard Manure Exposure
Description: Annual applicaton of cattle farmyard manure (FYM)
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fym Strip 72 | 35 t/ha | 1852 - 1967 | annuallty | spring barley | Applied before ploughing usually in the autumn | ||
| Fym-residue Strip 71 | 35 t/ha | 1852 - 1871 | annually | spring barley | Applied before ploughing usually in the autumn for 20 years only | ||
| None Strip 61 | 0 t/ha | 1852 - 1967 | spring barley | No FYM or inorganic fertilizer applied | |||
| Ashes Strip 62 | 1852 - 1932 | spring barley | Ashes were added to inorganic P, KNaMg fertilizers to aid spreading. This is a test of the ashes alone. Not applied 1928, 1929. |
Silicon Nutrient Exposure
Description: Series AA 4 large plots divided into 8 sub-plots testing silicate (AA and AAS) from 1862
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicate Aas | 450 kg/ha | 1862 - 1967 | annually | spring barley | sodium silicate | Silicate test on Series AA only 450 kg/ha calcium silicate and sodium silicate 1862-1867. | |
| No Silicate Aa | 0 kg/ha | 1862 - 1967 | spring barley | Silicate test on Series AA only |
Nil
Description: No P, K, Na or Mg applied since 1852. Strip 1
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|
Measurements
| Variable | Unit | Collection Frequency |
Material | Description | Crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yield Components | t/ha | annually | SpecifiedCrop | Grain and straw yields at field moisture content, approximately 85% dry matter. | spring barley |
| Soil Organic Carbon | t/ha | occasionally | Soil | Topsoil (0-23cm) from soil sampled in 1852, 1882, 1913, 1946 and 1965. | |
| Soil Total Nitrogen | % | occasionally | Soil | Topsoil (0-23cm) from soil sampled in 1852, 1882, 1913, 1946 and 1965. | |
| Soil Bulk Density | g/cm3 | occasionally | Topsoil (0-23cm) from soil sampled in 1852, 1882, 1913, 1946 and 1965. |
Description
- The 8 large plots of Series AA and C werer each divided into 16 sub-subplots in 1968. A test of rotation or continuous barley was carried out on the sub-plots. Four N rates were tested on the sub-sub plots. The 8 main plots tested 4 combinations of nutrients in a factorial design (strips 1-4): 0 v P v KMgNa v PKMgNa, crossed by 2 series testing two forms of N applied 1852-1967, AA (sodium nitrate) and C (castor bean meal) at 48kgN/ha.
Design
- Period: 1968 - 1978
- Number of Blocks: 8
- Number of Replicates: 1
- Number of Sub-plots:
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Spring Barley | |
| Potatoes | |
| Field Beans |
Crop Rotations
| Rotation | Crops |
|---|---|
| Series C rotation (1968 - 1978) | Spring Barley > Field Beans > Potatoes |
| Series AA rotation (1968 - 1978) | Spring Barley > Field Beans > Potatoes |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Description: Inorganic nitrogen fertilizer in various amounts applied annually to split plots on the rotation plots.
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N0 | 0 | 1968 - 1978 | Nil treatment | ||||
| N1 | 48 kgN/ha | 1968 - 1978 | annually | ammonium nitrate | Applied in the spring | ||
| N2 | 96 kgN/ha | 1968 - 1978 | annually | ammonium nitrate | Applied in the spring | ||
| N3 | 144 kgN/ha | 1968 - 1978 | ammonium nitrate | Applied in the spring |
Phosphate Fertilizer Exposure
Description: phosphate fertilizer applied annually
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 34 kgP/ha | 1968 - 1978 | triple superphosphate | Applied before ploughing usually in the autumn |
Potassium Fertilizer Exposure
Description: inorganic potassium fertilizer applied annually, along with 11kgMg and 16kgNa fertilizer
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knamg | 90 kgK/ha | 1968 - 1978 | annually | potassium sulphate | Applied before ploughing, usually in the autumn, with 11kgMg and 16kgNa fertilizer |
Measurements
| Variable | Unit | Collection Frequency |
Material | Description | Crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yield Components | t/ha | annually | AllCrops | grain and straw yields at 85% dry matter | |
| Crop Nutrient Data | % | annually | SpecifiedCrop | Grain and straw %N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na since 1970. | spring barley |
| Thousand Grain Weight | g | annually | selected plots only from 1974 onwards | ||
| Soil Organic Carbon | % | Soil | 1975 selected plots | ||
| Soil Total Nitrogen | % | Soil | 1975 selected plots | ||
| Soil Bulk Density | g/cm3 | Soil | 1975 selected plots |
Description
- Continuation of main layout of middle period, continuous spring barley only. 16 Main Plots testing various combinations of P, KNaMg, and FYM, on three earlier N treatments; Series O (no fertilizer N); Series A (48 kgN as ammonium sulphate) and Series C (48kg N as castor bean meal) 1852-1967 (see Early period 1).
Design
- Period: 1968 - 1978
- Number of Blocks: 16
- Number of Replicates: 1
- Number of Sub-plots:
- Number of Harvests per Year: 1
Crops
| Crop | Years Grown |
|---|---|
| Spring Barley |
Factors
Factors are the interventions or treatments which vary across the experiment.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure
Description: Inorganic nitrogen fertilizer in various amounts applied annually to split plots
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N0 | 0 kgN/ha | - | spring barley | SInce 1981 the N rates rotate annually, N3>N2>N1>N0 | |||
| N1 | 48 kgN/ha | 1968 - | annually | spring barley | calcium ammonium nitrate | Applied in spring. SInce 1981 the N rates rotate annually, N3>N2>N1>N0 | |
| N2 | 96 kgN/ha | 1968 - | annually | spring barley | calcium ammonium nitrate | Applied in spring. SInce 1981 the N rates rotate annually, N3>N2>N1>N0 | |
| N3 | 144 kgN/ha | 1968 - | spring barley | calcium ammonium nitrate | Applied in spring. SInce 1981 the N rates rotate annually, N3>N2>N1>N0 |
Phosphate Fertilizer Exposure
Description: inorganic phosphorus fertilizer applied annually since 1852
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 35 kgP/ha | 1852 - 2002 | annually | spring barley | triple superphosphate | Applied in autumn before ploughing. |
Potassium Fertilizer Exposure
Description: Inorganic potassium fertilizer applied annually since 1852, with inorganic Mg.
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kmg | 90 kgK/ha | 1852 - | annually | spring barley | potassium sulphate | Applied before ploughing in autumn. Applied annually since 1852 with 35kgMg as Kieserite every three years. 16kgNa/ha applied annually as sodium sulphate until 1978. |
Farmyard Manure Exposure
Description: farmyard manure in various amounts and periods of application
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fym Strip 72 | 35 t/ha | 1852 - | annually | spring barley | Applied before ploughing in autumn. Continuation of FYM treatment from early and middle period. | ||
| Fym-residue Strip 71 | 35 t/ha | 1852 - 1871 | annually | spring barley | Continuation of FYM-residue treatment from early and middle period. | ||
| None Strip 61 | 0 t/ha | - | spring barley | No FYM applied. Continuation of Early and Middle Period treatment. | |||
| Ash Strip 62 | 1852 - 1932 | spring barley | Continuation of treatment from Early and Middle period. |
Silicon Nutrient Exposure
Description: Inorganic silicate fertilizer in various amounts and periods of previous application
Levels
| Level Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Crop | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Si, Series Aa | 450 kg/ha | 1980 - | sodium silicate | Applied before ploughing in the autumn. | |||
| (si), Series Aa | 450 kg/ha | 1862 - 1979 | sodium silicate | Applied before ploughing in autumn |
Measurements
| Variable | Unit | Collection Frequency |
Material | Description | Crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yield Components | t/ha | annually | SpecifiedCrop | Grain and straw yields at 85% dry matter. | spring barley |
| Crop Nutrient Content | % | annually | SpecifiedCrop | Grain and straw %N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na since 1979, %S since 1996, from main plots only. | spring barley |
| Thousand Grain Weight | g | annually | SpecifiedCrop | selected plots only from 1974 onwards | spring barley |
| Soil Organic Carbon | % | infrequently | Soil | 1982, 1998, 2000 on selected plots only. 0-23cm. Some subsoil data also available in 2000. | |
| Total Soil Nitrogen | % | infreqently | Soil | 1982, 1998, 2000 on selected plots only. 0-23cm. Some subsoil data also available in 2000. | |
| Plant Available Phosphorous | mg/kg | infreqently | Soil | 1982, 1998, 2000 on selected plots only. 0-23cm. Some subsoil data also available in 2000. | |
| Soil pH | infreqently | Soil | 1982, 1998, 2008 on selected plots only. 0-23cm. Some subsoil data in 1998. | ||
| Exchangeable Cations | infreqently | Soil | Exchangeable Ca, Mg, K, and Na, 1982 and 2000, selected plots. 0-23cm soil layer. |
Description
- Continuation of main layout of middle period, continuous spring barley only. Series AA was modified in 1980 to test: 0 v silicate 1862-1979 v silicate since 1980 v silicate since 1862. Two new plots testing P2KMg (plot 63) and FYM (plot 73) were introduced in 2001 and Strip 5 tested various other combinations of N, P, K and Mg.
Design
- Period: 1979 - 2000
Design
- Period: 1979 - 2000
Design
- Period: 2001 - Now
Design
- Period: 2001 - Now
Design
- Period: 2001 - Now
Site: Hoosfield - Rothamsted
- Experiment Site: Rothamsted
- Description: The Hoosfield Spring Barley experiment was started in 1852 on a 1.7 hectare (4.25 acre) site, to test the effects of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer on the growth of spring barley. The site has probably been occupied since Roman times, and the Rothamsted map of 1623 shows the site under arable cultivation. Before the experiment started the following arable crops were grown: turnips (with FYM and superphosphate) 1847, barley 1848, clover 1849, wheat 1850, barley (with ammonium salts) 1851.
- Management: The site is managed using conventional tillage and pesticide applications are applied as necessary. The plough layer (0-23 m) is limed when necessary to maintain a minimum soil pH of 7.0 – 7.5. There is no irrigation.
- Visit Permitted?: Yes
- Visiting Arrangments: Contact Dr Andrew Gregory
- Elevation: 130 Metres
- Geolocation: 51.81206, -0.37608
Soil
- Type: Luvisol
Flinty silty clay loam topsoil over clay-with–flints (Avery and Catt, 1995). The soils contain a large number of flints and are slightly calcareous. Below about 2m depth the soil becomes chalk. The experiment is under-drained and the site is free draining.
Soil Properties
| Variable | Value | Reference Year | Is Estimated | Is Baseline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay content | 20% (Percent) | NO | NO | |
| Silt content | 52% (Percent) | NO | NO | |
| Sand content | 28% (Percent) | NO | NO |
Datasets available
| Title (hover for a longer description) | Year of Publication | Type | DOI or Link | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Crop yield data | ||||
| Hoosfield mean long-term spring barley yields 1852-2015 | 2017 | OA | 10.23637/KeyRefOAHByields | 01 |
Soil data | ||||
| Hoosfield soil organic carbon content | 2012 | OA | 10.23637/KeyRefOAHBsoc | 01 |
- List all eRA datasets
- Additional data is available through e-RAdata. Please register for access
Images
More about Hoosfield
- Plans, treatments and cultivars:
- Plans, fertilizer treatments and cropping details for the Hoosfield spring barley experiment
- Crop nutrients:
- information about crop macro nutrient content (% N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na and S)
- Soil chemical and physical properties:
- information about soil properties, and details of which soil chemical properties have been measured.
Key References
2015
- Rothamsted_Research(2015) "Hoosfield spring barley experiment plans and fertilizer treatments 1968-2000", Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2JQ, UK
DOI: 10.23637/rhb2-plans1968-2000-01
2012
- Rothamsted_Research(2012) "Hoosfield spring barley experiment plan and fertilizer treatments 1852-1967", Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2JQ, UK
DOI: 10.23637/rhb2-plan1852-1967-01
2009
- Rothamsted_Research(2009) "Hoosfield spring barley experiment plan and fertilizer treatments 2001 onwards", Electronic Rothamsted Archive, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2JQ, UK
DOI: 10.23637/rhb2-plan2001-01 - 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
2001
- Glendining, M. J. , Poulton, P. R. , Powlson, D. S. , Macdonald, A. J. and Jenkinson, D. S.(2001) "Availability of the residual nitrogen from a single application of N-15-labelled fertilizer to subsequent crops in a long-term continuous barley experiment", Plant and Soil, 233, 231-239
DOI: 10.1023/a:1010508914895
1997
- Glendining, M. J. , Poulton, P. R. , Powlson, D. S. and Jenkinson, D. S.(1997) "Fate of N-15-labelled fertilizer applied to spring barley grown on soils of contrasting nutrient status", Plant and Soil, 195, 83-98
DOI: 10.1023/a:1004295531657
1996
- Poulton, P. R.(1996) "Hoosfield Continuous Barley. ", Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems, Report No. 7, GCTE Task 3.3.1, Soil Organic Matter Network (SOMNET): 1996 Model and Experimental Metadata (Smith P. , Smith J.U. and Powlson D.S. (eds) - GCTE Focus 3 Office, Wallingford, UK), 86-88
For further information and assistance, please contact the e-RA curators, Sarah Perryman and Margaret Glendining using the e-RA email address: era@rothamsted.ac.uk