Winchmore long-term fertiliser trial
- Objective
- To establish the response of pasture (ryegrass and white clover) production (kg ha-1 yr-1) and productivity (production per unit of phosphorus input) to increasing rates of phosphorus (P) fertiliser applied as single superphosphate (SSP) or reactive phosphate rock (RPR)
- Description
- As the longest fertiliser trial under pasture in New Zealand, the Canterbury Plains site has been providing useful information for more than 70 years now. Focused on sheep-grazed pasture, it was initially established to analyse the long-term response of pasture to irrigation and the superphosphate requirements of irrigated pasture. However, the consistent management, meticulous record-keeping and archiving of regular soil and plant samples have also proved a rich source of material for many other studies, from nutrient cycling to the effects of fertiliser use on earthworms.
- Data Access Statement
- Available online with registration
- Data Access Notes
- https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Winchmore_long-term_Fertiliser_and_Irrigation_trial_data/12456494?file=25110983
- Data license
- CC BY-NC
- Data URL
- https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12456494
- Data policy
- https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Winchmore_long-term_Fertiliser_and_Irrigation_trial_data/12456494?file=25110983
- Organization
- AgResearchresearch organisation
- Person
- Prof Dr Rich McDowellprincipal investigator
Site: Winchmore long-term fertiliser trial
- Type
- research farm
- Location
- WinchmoreCanterburyNew Zealand
- Geographic location
- -43.786865, 171.795101
- Elevation
- 160 Metres
- Slope
- 0°
- Visits permitted?
- Yes
- Visiting arrangements
- Contact winchmore@agresearch.co.nz
- History
- The Winchmore field trials represent some of New Zealand’s longest running scientific experiments and, globally, the longest running trials of grazed and irrigated pasture. Since their establishment over 70 years ago, data from the trials have been used in nearly 500 publications (Cousins & McDowell 2012). However, as shown by Rickard & Moss (2012), this is only a partial measure of the trials’ value. More poignant measures include recognition of the role Winchmore played in establishing dairying in Canterbury, the importance of phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) to soil fertility, and the establishment and management of irrigation systems that underpin much of the rural economy in Canterbury.
- Soil type
- cambisol
- Soil description
- The soil is a Lismore stony silt loam classified as an Orthic Brown soil in the New Zealand soil classification and as an Udic Ustochrept in USDA soil classification.
- Soil properties
Variable Depth Value (range) Units Ref year Estimated? Baseline? soil organic carbon 0 – 7.5 Centimetres 2.7 Percent 1952 plant available phosphorous 0 – 7.5 Centimetres 7 parts per million 1952 soil pH 6.1 (5.7 – 5.9) 1952 - Climatic type
- temperate oceanic climate
- Climate properties
Variable Time period Value (range) Units air temperature 12 degree Celsius precipitation 745 (419 – 949) millimeter
Design period: Trial 1 (1952—1958)
- Design Type
- Randomized complete block design
- Description
- This area was ploughed in winter 1948 out of a browntop (Agrostis spp.) pasture. After summer fallowing it was bordered and greenfeed sown in autumn 1949. The area was ploughed and again summer-fallowed before being sown to pasture (Perennial ryegrass; Short rotation ryegrass; Timothy; Crested Dogstail; White clover; Subterranean clover; Red clover) in February 1950. Lime at 2.5 t/ha and 125 kg/ha superphosphate were applied with the greenfeed and a further 2.5 t/ha lime and 250 kg/ha superphosphate at sowing down. When the trial was commenced, the 2-year old pasture was perennial ryegrass (Lolium spp.) and white clover (Trifolium repens) dominant. During the trial, the treatments that received superphosphate remained predominantly ryegrass and white clover dominant.
- Design description
- The fertiliser trial has 20 border check irrigation bays divided into five treatments each with four replicates set out in a randomised block design.
- Number of plots
- 20
- Number of subplots
- 5
- Number of replicates
- 4
- Number of harvests per year
- 9
- Crops
Crop Years grown rye grass white clover - Factor
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- superphosphate exposure Five P-fertilization levels
P0 (0 kg/ha)
1952—1962P1 (188 t/ha)
1952—1964Application frequency: 1autumn applicationP2 (376 kg/ha)
1952—1962Application frequency: 1autumn applicationP3 (564 kg/ha)
1952—1961Application frequency: 1autumn applicationP4 (376 kg/ha)
1952—1958Application frequency: 2split application between autumn and spring
- Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment plant biomass All crops 1 pasture production was measured using exclusion cages (3.25 x 0.61 m), with two cages per plot soil organic carbon Soil 1 A composite soil sample of 10 cores (2.5 cm diameter) was collected from each plot to a depth of 7.5 cm. These were initially collected at 3-month intervals (July, October, January and April) but in the later years were collected either at 6-month intervals or annually (July) prior to fertiliser application (1948-1952)
Design period: Trial 2 (1958—1980)
- Design Type
- Randomized complete block design
- Description
- These treatments ran from 1958/59 to 1979/80. Pasture production data were therefore available from areas receiving no superphosphate, 188 kg/ha and 376 kg/ha for 28 years, and the residual effects of 376 kg/ha and 564 kg/ha over 21 years.
- Design description
- The fertiliser trial has 20 border check irrigation bays divided into five treatments each with four replicates set out in a randomised block design.
- Number of plots
- 20
- Number of subplots
- 5
- Number of replicates
- 4
- Number of harvests per year
- 9
- Crops
Crop Years grown rye grass white clover - Factor
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- superphosphate exposure Five P-fertilization levels
P0 (0 kg/ha)
1959—1979P1 (188 kg/ha)
1959—1979Application frequency: 1autumn applicationP2 (0 kg/ha)
1959—1979residual P-levels from trial 1 (376 kg/ha), autumn applicationP3 (0 kg/ha)
1959—1979residual P-levels from trial 1 (564 kg/ha), autumn applicationP4 (376 kg/ha)
1959—1979Application frequency: 1P4 applied in two plots from the original treatments (P2 and P4) from Trial 1, cumulative effect
Design period: Trail 3 (1980—)
- Design Type
- Randomized complete block design
- Description
- In 1980 it was decided to introduce two new treatments: 250 kg/ha superphosphate and Sechura phosphate rock + gypsum (equivalent to 250 kg/ha superphosphate).
- Number of plots
- 20
- Number of subplots
- 5
- Number of replicates
- 4
- Number of harvests per year
- 9
- Crops
Crop Years grown rye grass white clover - Factor
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- superphosphate exposure Five P-fertilization levels
P0 (0 kg/ha)
1980—P1 (188 kg/ha)
1980—Application frequency: 1superphosphateP2 (250 kg/ha)
1980—Application frequency: 1superphosphateP3 (250 kg/ha)
1980—Application frequency: 1Sechura phosphate rock + gypsum (equivalent to 250 kg/ha superphosphate)P4 (376 kg/ha)
1980—Application frequency: 1superphosphate
- Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment soil total carbon Soil total soil nitrogen Soil total soil phosphorous Soil plant available phosphorous Soil potassium content Soil sulphur content Soil soil organic matter Soil cadmium Soil fluorine Soil earthworm Soil yield All crops monthly Monthly mean dry matter yield for each treatment 1980-2019 and annual dry matter yield for each plot from 1994-2019 (n=494) botanical composition All crops annually Seasonal or annual botanical composition and yield from 1952-2019 (n=3351) and from each plot and cut from 2005-2019 (n=2944)
Related publications
- The Winchmore Trials DOI: 10.1080/00288233.2012.676051 [In English]