Rotation 120 – Lethbridge

This experiment has been added by the GLTEN Curators using existing published sources.

Objective: To evaluate the sustainability yields and crop fertility of common and potential crop rotations for the area.
Description: Since 1951 the experiment has been modified and renamed based on the original number of plots. The experiment names have Rotation 96, Rotation 100 (1955), Rotation 116 (1985) and Rotation 120 (2001). Soil samples have been collected at intervals throughout the experiment and are archived.
Data Access Statement: Don't know
Data license: Don't know
Data policy: Don't know
Organization: Lethbridge Research and Development Centre
research organisation
People

Site: Lethbridge

Type

research station field

Location

Lethbridge

Alberta

Canada

Geographic location

49.705, -112.775

+−

Maps

Satellite

Visits permitted?

History

The plots were established on land that had been used for a mixed crop rotation with light manure applications every sixth year since being broken from native grass around 1910.

Management

Seeding rate, weed control, and field operations follow industry standard practices used by commercial growers.

Soil type

chernozem

Soil description

The soil was an Orthic Dark Brown Chernozem (Typic Haplustoll) developed on alluvial lacustrine parent material under native vegetation of tall and short grass species.

Soil properties

Variable	Depth	Value (range)	Units	Ref year
sand content		45	Percent
silt content		30	Percent
clay content		25	Percent
soil organic carbon	0 – 7.5 Centimetres	(15.9 – 21.7)	gram per kilogram	1992
soil organic carbon	7.5 – 15 Centimetres	(14.1 – 16.8)	gram per kilogram	1992

Design period: Rotation 96 and Rotation 100 (1951—1984)

Design Type

Randomized complete block design

Description

Plots measure 3.2 x 36.6 m. The rotation IF was added in 1954 when the experiment was renamed to Rotation 100 to reflect the additional plots.

Design description

The plots for the rotations were randomly assigned (with minor exceptions), using a complete randomized block design. The experiment is fully phased.

Number of plots

100

Number of replicates

Number of harvests per year

Crops

Crop	Years grown
wheat
fallow
crested wheatgrass
alfalfa
barley
winter wheat
feed grasses

Crop Rotations

A (W) 1951—1984

1
wheat

B (F-W) 1951—1984

1
fallow
2
wheat

C (F-W-W) 1951—1984

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat

D (Fm-W-W) 1951—1984

1
fallow
plus manure at 11.t t/ha in fall
2
wheat
3
wheat

F (F-Ww-Ww) 1951—1970

1
fallow
2
winter wheat
3
winter wheat

F (F-Ww-B) 1971—1984

1
fallow
2
winter wheat
3
barley

H (F-W-H-H-H) 1951—1984

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat
4
feed grasses
Mixture of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Crested wheatgrass for hay
5
feed grasses
6
-

K (F-W-G-G-G) 1951—1984

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
winter wheat
4
crested wheatgrass
5
crested wheatgrass
6
crested wheatgrass

IF (Wc+N) 1954—1984

1
wheat
Seeded if depth of moist soil at the surface was ≥45 cm. 80 kgN/ha broadcast prior to seeding.

Measurements

Variable	Material	Units
grain yield trait	Not specified
economic data	Not specified
soil organic carbon	Not specified	g/kg

Design period: Rotation 116 (1985—1994)

Description

Triple superphosphate was applied with the wheat in the seed row at 22.5 kg P ha-1.

Number of harvests per year

Crops

Crop	Years grown
wheat
fallow
lentils
native species
feed grasses

Crop Rotations

1 (W) 1985—1994

1
wheat

2 (F-W) 1985—1994

1
fallow
2
wheat

3 (F-W-W) 1985—1994

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat

4 (W+N) 1985—1994

1
wheat
Continuous wheat plus N broadcast at 80 kgN/ha

5 (F-W+N) 1985—1994

1
fallow
2
wheat
Plus N broadcast at 80 kgN/ha

6 (F-W-W+N) 1985—1994

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat
Plus N broadcast at 80 kgN/ha

7 (L-W) 1985—1994

1
lentils
As green manure, grain lentil until 1988.
2
wheat

8 (L-W-W) 1985—1994

1
lentils
As green manure, grain lentil until 1988.
2
wheat
3
wheat

9 (Fm-W-W) 1985—1994

1
fallow
Plus 11.2 t/ha manure in Fall.
2
wheat
3
wheat

10 (F-W-W-H-H-H) 1985—1994

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat
4
feed grasses
Mixture of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Crested wheatgrass for hay
5
feed grasses
6
feed grasses

11 (Wc) 1985—1994

1
wheat
Seeded if depth of moist soil at the surface was ≥45 cm.

12 (Wc+N) 1985—1994

1
wheat
Seeded if depth of moist soil at the surface was ≥45 cm. 80 kgN/ha broadcast prior to seeding.

G 1985—1994

1
native species
Mixture of selected Agropyron spp

Factors

Factor name: Factor levels

nitrogen fertilizer exposure Applied to selected rotations as indicated: N (80 kgN/ha)
1985—1994
Applied to crop: wheat
Application method: broadcast application method
Chemical form: ammonium nitrate
Prior to pre-seeding tillage
farmyard manure exposure Applied to selected rotations as indicated: M (11.2 t/ha)
1985—1994

Measurements

Variable	Material	Units
grain yield trait	Not specified
economic data	Not specified
soil organic carbon	Not specified	g/kg

Design period: Rotation 116, bioassay years (1995—2000)

Description

All plots were direct seeded to wheat each year. Triple superphosphate was applied at 20 kg P ha-1.

Design description

Plots were split in two with one half receiving nitrogen.

Crop

Crop	Years grown
wheat

Factor

Factor name: Factor levels

nitrogen fertilizer exposure: control exposure
1995—2000
No nitrogen applied
with N (56 kgN/ha)
1995—2000
Application frequency: annually
Application method: broadcast application method
Chemical form: ammonium nitrate

Design period: Rotation 120 (2000—)

Crops

Crop	Years grown
wheat
lentils
oats
maize
native species
feed grasses
fallow

Crop Rotations

1 (F) 2001—

1
wheat

2 (F-W) 2001—

1
fallow
2
wheat

3 (F-W-W) 2001—

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat

4 (W+N) 2001—

1
wheat
Continuous wheat plus N broadcast at 45 kgN/ha

5 (F-W+N) 2001—

1
fallow
2
wheat
Plus N broadcast at 45 kgN/ha

6 (F-W-W+N) 2001—

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat
Plus N broadcast at 45 kgN/ha

7 (Opm-W-W) 2001—

1
oats
With field pea as forage and manure applied every second cycle (6th year).
2
wheat
3
wheat

8 (L-W-W) 2001—

1
lentils
As green manure
2
wheat
3
wheat

9 (Fm-W-W) 2001—

1
fallow
Plus 11.2 t/ha manure in Fall.
2
wheat
3
wheat

10 (F-W-W-H-H-H) 2001—

1
fallow
2
wheat
3
wheat
4
feed grasses
Mixture of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Crested wheatgrass for hay
5
feed grasses
6
feed grasses

11 (M+N) 2001—

1
maize
Plus 11.2 t/ha manure in Fall.

12 (H) 2001—

1
feed grasses
Mixture of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Crested wheatgrass for hay

13 (G) 2001—

1
native species
Mixture of needle-and thread, blue grama, June grass, green needle grass and western wheat grass.

Factors

Factor name: Factor levels

nitrogen fertilizer exposure Applied to selected rotations as indicated: N (45 kgN/ha)
2001—
Applied to crop: wheat
Application method: broadcast application method
Chemical form: ammonium nitrate
Prior to pre-seeding tillage
farmyard manure exposure Applied to selected rotations as indicated: M (11.2 t/ha)
2001—

Measurements

Variable	Material	Units
grain yield trait	Not specified
economic data	Not specified
soil organic carbon	Not specified	g/kg

Related publications

Smith, E.G., Janzen, H.H., Ellert, B.H., and Nakonechny, D.J. 2012. Rotation 120 - Lethbridge, Alberta. Prairie Soils and Crops 5:155-164
https://prairiesoilsandcrops.ca/articles/volume-5-16-screen.pdf [In English]
Danny G.Le Roy, Elwin G.Smith, Phyllis J.MacCallum, and H.Henry Janzen. Will summer fallow re-emerge in the Dark Brown soil zone of the Canadian Prairie as a response to net return risk?. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 97(2): 241-249.
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2016-0053 [In English]

Rotation 120 – Lethbridge

Site: Lethbridge

Design period: Rotation 96 and Rotation 100 (1951—1984)

Design period: Rotation 116 (1985—1994)

N (80 kgN/ha)

M (11.2 t/ha)

Design period: Rotation 116, bioassay years (1995—2000)

control exposure

with N (56 kgN/ha)

Design period: Rotation 120 (2000—)

N (45 kgN/ha)

M (11.2 t/ha)

Related publications