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.
- Date Start: 1964
- Date End: Ongoing
- Key Contacts: Margaret Glendining, (Data Manager), 0000-0002-6466-4629 , Andrew Gregory, (Experiment Manager), 0000-0001-7123-0784 ,
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.
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
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 |
- List all eRA datasets
- Additional data is available through e-RAdata. Please register for access
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 with Dr Andy Gregory
- Elevation: 100 Metres
- Geolocation: 51.999805, -0.616036
Soil
- Type: Arenosol
Cambic and Luvic Arenosols, sandy to loam sand
Experiment Design
- 1 - Preliminary period organic manuring - 1964 - 1972
- 2 - First test phase - 1973 - 1980
- 3 - Second organic manuring - 1981 - 1986
- 4 - Second test phase - 1987 - 2002
- 5 - Third organic manuring - 2003 - Now
Use the arrows to navigate between periods
- 1 - Preliminary period organic manuring - 1964 - 1972 - 
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.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peat | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 7.5 t/ha | 1965 - 1972 | Annually in Autumn | sedge peat | ||
| Straw | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 7.5 t/ha | 1965 - 1972 | Annually in Autumn | Straw | barley straw | |
| Green Manure | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | Green manure crops used were Italian Ryegrass, Trefoil and red clover | ||||
| Inorganic Fertiliser | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| Farmyard Manure | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 50 t/ha | 1965 - 1972 | Annually in Autumn | |||
| Inorganic Fertiliser | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | To provide equivalent PKMg as Farmyard Manure | ||||
| Grass Clover Ley | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | sown April 1965, ploughed either October 1971 or November 1972 | ||||
| Grass Ley Plus Nitrogen | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | sown April 1965, ploughed either October 1971 or November 1972 | ||||
| Nitrogen | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 25 kgN/ha | 1967 - 1969 | None applied to barley in 1966 | |||
| Nitrogen | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 75 kgN/ha | 1966 - 1969 | 25 kgN/ha to Barley in 1966 | |||
| Nitrogen | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 125 kgN/ha | 1966 - 1969 | 50 kgN/ha to Barley in 1966 | |||
| Nitrogen | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 175 kgN/ha | 1966 - 1969 | 75 kgN/ha to Barley in 1966 |
- 
- 2 - First test phase - 1973 - 1980 -
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.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Exposure | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| N1 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 25; 40; 50 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 25 to cereals; 40 to sugar beet; 50 to potatoes | ||
| N2 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 50; 80; 100 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 50 to cereals; 80 to sugar beet; 100 to potatoes | ||
| N3 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 75; 120; 150 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 75 to cereals; 120 to sugar beet; 150 to potatoes | ||
| N4 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 100; 160; 200 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 100 to cereals; 160 to sugar beet; 200 to potatoes | ||
| N5 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 125; 200; 250 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 125 to cereals; 200 to sugar beet; 250 to potatoes | ||
| N6 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 150; 240; 300 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 150 to cereals; 240 to sugar beet; 300 to potatoes | ||
| N7 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 175; 280; 350 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 175 to cereals; 280 to sugar beet; 350 to potatoes |
- - 3 - Second organic manuring - 1981 - 1986 -
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.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmyard Manure | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 50 t/ha | - | ||||
| Straw | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 7.5 t/ha | - | Straw | Plus 140 kgP/ha; 280 kgK/ha; 50 kgMg/ha | ||
| Inorganic Fertiliser Fym Rate | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | To provide equivalent PKMg as Farmyard Manure (280 kgP/ha; 560 kgK/ha; 100 kgMg/ha) | ||||
| Inorganic Fertiliser Half Fym Rate | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | 140 kgP/ha; 280 kgK/ha; 50 kgMg/ha |
- - 4 - Second test phase - 1987 - 2002 -
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.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Green Manure in Preliminary Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| 8 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Peat in Preliminary Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| 6 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Clover Grass Ley in Preliminary Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| 6 Year Clover Grass Ley Until 1986, Grass Ley With Nitrogen in Preliminary Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| Farmyard Manure in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| Straw in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| Pkmg Fertilizer Equivalent to Fym in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| Pkmg Fertiliser Equivalent to Straw in Preliminary and Second Organic Manuring Period | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| Control Exposure | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 1987 - 1994 | |||||
| N1 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 50; 70 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 50 to cereals & beans; 70 to potatoes | ||
| N2 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 100; 140 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 100 to cereals & beans; 140 to potatoes | ||
| N3 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 150; 210 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 150 to cereals & beans; 210 to potatoes. | ||
| N4 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 200; 280 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 200 to cereals & beans; 280 to potatoes | ||
| N5 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 250; 350 kgN/ha | 1987 - 1994 | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 250 to cereals & beans; 350 to potatoes |
- - 5 - Third organic manuring - 2003 - Now
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.
| Level Name | Factor Name | Amount | Years | Frequency | Method | Chemical Form | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Organic Amendment | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | Previous fertilisers equivalent to farmyard manure and grass with nitrogen plots | ||||
| Straw | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 7.5 t/ha | - | Straw | Previous straw plot | ||
| Green Manure | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | Cover crop prior to spring sown crops. Previous green manure then grass clover ley plot | ||||
| Compost | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 40 t/ha | - | Previous peat then grass clover ley plot | |||
| Farmyard Manure | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 10 t/ha | - | Previous fertilisers equivalent to straw plot | |||
| Farmyard Manure | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | 25 t/ha | - | Previous farmyard manure at 50 t/ha | |||
| Grass Clover Ley | Natural Fertilizer Exposure | - | Previous grass clover ley | ||||
| N0 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | - | |||||
| N1 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 30; 35; 50 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 30 to rye; 35 to barley; 50 to maize and wheat | ||
| N2 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 60; 70; 100 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 60 to rye; 70 to barley; 100 to maize and wheat | ||
| N3 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 90; 105; 150 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 90 to rye; 105 to barley; 150 to maize and wheat | ||
| N4 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 120; 140; 200 kgN/ha | - | Calcium Ammonium Nitrate | 120 to rye; 140 to barley; 200 to maize and wheat | ||
| N5 | Nitrogen Fertilizer Exposure | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grain Yield Trait | t/ha | Annual | AllCrops |
License
These media (images and videos) are
available under a Creative Commons
Attribution Licence (4.0) with attribution to Rothamsted Research.
Images
Key References
2023
- - Putelat, T. and Whitmore, A. P. (2023) "Optimal control of organic matter applications", European Journal of Agronomy, 143, 126713 DOI: https://doi.org/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: https://doi.org/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: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2113(08)00801-8
1974
- - 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
- - 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
