Eternal Rye
- Objective
- Comparing the effects of mineral and organic fertilizers on soil fertility and rye yield, on a Haplic Phaeozem on sandy loess.
- Description
- The second oldest still working long-term fertilization experiment in the world was founded by Julius Kühn in 1878 to investigate the yield efficiency of mineral fertilization and its effect on soil fertility in comparison to farmyard manuring and to omission of any fertilization. More recent investigations focus on the nutrient dynamics and the stability of soil organic matter (SOM), due to the different fertilization and cropping systems, as well as the influence of climate change.
- Data Access Statement
- Available to any researcher on request
- Data license
- Don't know
- Data policy
- Yes (not online)
- Organization
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-WittenbergUniversity
- People
- Prof Janna Macholdtdata managerMartin-Luther-University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Agronomy and Organic FarmingDr Karolin Kunzdata managerMartin-Luther-University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Agronomy and Organic FarmingDr Philipp Götzeexperiment managerMartin-Luther-University Halle-WittenbergTeaching and experimental station Halle, Institute of Agricultural and Food Sciences (IAEW)Prof Edgar Peiterexperiment managerMartin-Luther-University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Plant Nutrition
Site: Kühn Field
- Type
- research station field
- Location
- Halle/SaaleSaxony-AnhaltGermany
- Geographic location
- 51.494751, 11.992736
- Elevation
- 113 Metres
- Visits permitted?
- Yes
- Soil type
- phaeozem
- Soil description
- The site is at the edge of a chernozem region with soil classified as Haplic Phaeozem. The A-horizon is about 60 cm thick with a sandy loess cover
- Soil properties
Variable Depth Value (range) Units Ref year Estimated? Baseline? sand content (48 – 75) Percent silt content (16 – 37) Percent clay content (7 – 15) Percent - Climatic type
- temperate oceanic climate
- Climate properties
Variable Time period Value (range) Units air temperature 1981 – 2010 9.7 degree Celsius precipitation 1981 – 2010 490 degree Celsius
Design period: Period 1: Winter rye monoculture (1878—1961)
- Description
- The world’s second oldest still working long-term fertilization experiment was founded by Julius Kühn in 1878 to investigate the yield efficiency of mineral fertilization and its effect on soil fertility in comparison to farmyard manuring and to omssion of any fertilization. Starting in 1878 winter rye was grown in five plots (1000 m2 each) with application of farmyard manure, PK, NPK, N, and an unfertilized control. In 1893 a sixth plot with reduced farmyard manure application was added. After 1952, application of farmyard manure was ommited in the second (reduced) FYM treatment. This allowed the analyses of aftereffects of organic fertilization. In 1991, the application of mineral N was replaced by a combined fertilization of NPK+farmyard manure.
- Number of plots
- 6
- Number of replicates
- 1
- Number of harvests per year
- 1
- Crop
Crop Years grown winter rye - Factor
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- fertilizer exposure Comparison of different mineral and organic fertilizers, single or in combination
farmyard manure 1 (12 t/ha)
1878—1990Applied to crop: winter ryeApplication frequency: annually12 t Farmyard manure/ha, regardless of nutrient content (resulted in ca 60 kg N/ha, 20 kg P/ha, 60 kg K/ha)farmyard manure 1
1991—Applied to crop: winter ryeApplication frequency: annuallyAdapted amount of farmyard manure for 60 kg N/ha (ca 12 t/ha manure, ca 18 kg P/ha and 55 kg K/ha),PK (24 kgP/ha)
1878—Applied to crop: winter rye24 kg P/ha, 75 kg K/haNPK (40 kgN/ha)
1878—1990Applied to crop: winter ryeMineral fertilizer: 40 kg N/ha, 24 kg P/ha, 75 kg K/haNPK (60 kgN/ha)
1991—Applied to crop: winter ryeMineral fertilizer: 60 kg N/ha, 24 kg P/ha, 75 kg K/haN (40 kgN/ha)
1878—1990Applied to crop: winter ryeonly mineral nitrogen, replaced by NPK+Farmyard manure in 1991NPK+Farmyard manure (120 kgN/ha)
1991—Applied to crop: winter rye120 kg N/ha, 42 kg P/ha, 130 kg K/haunfertilized
1878—Applied to crop: winter ryefarmyard manure 2 (8 t/ha)
1893—1952Applied to crop: winter rye8 t farmyard manure per ha, resulting in ca. 43 kg N/ha, 13 kg P/ha, 40 kg K/hafarmyard manure 2
1953—Applied to crop: winter ryeNo fertilizer applied after 1953
- Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment yield components winter rye decitonnes per hectare annually composition of soil Not specified
Design period: Period 2: Devision into three parts (1961—)
- Description
- After the harvest in 1961, a very important change to the experimental set-up was introduced, namely the division of all subplots into three parts. In the southern part (Division C) rye monoculture was continued, in the central part it was substituted by a potato-rye-rotation (Division B), and in the northern part maize monoculture was introduced (Division A). The fertilization remained unchanged.
- Number of plots
- 24
- Number of replicates
- 1
- Number of harvests per year
- 1
- Crops
Crop Years grown winter rye potatoes maize - Crop Rotations
- Section A 1961—
- 1maize
Section B 1961—- 1winter rye
- 2potatoes
Secion C 1961—- 1winter rye
- Factor
- Factor name
- Factor levels
- fertilizer exposure Comparison of different mineral and organic fertilizers, single or in combination
farmyard manure 1 (12 t/ha)
1962—1990Applied to crop: All crops12 t Farmyard manure/ha, regardless of nutrient content (resulted in ca. 60 kg N/ha, 20 kg P/ha, 60 kg K/ha)farmyard manure 1
1991—Applied to crop: All cropsAdapted amount of farmyard manure for 60 kg N/ha (ca. 12 t/ha manure, ca 18 kg P and 55 kg K/ha),PK (24 kgP/ha)
1962—Applied to crop: All cropsMineral fertilizer: 24 kg P/ha, 75 kg K/haNPK (40 kgN/ha)
1962—1990Applied to crop: All cropsMineral fertilizer: 40 kg N/ha, 24 kg P/ha, 75 kg K/haNPK (60 kg nitrogen per hectare)
1991—Applied to crop: All cropsMineral fertilizer: 60 kg N/ha, 24 kg P/ha, 75 kg K/haN (40 kgN/ha)
1962—1990Applied to crop: All cropsonly mineral nitrogen, replaced by NPK+Farmyard manure in 1991NPK+Farmyard manure (120 kgN/ha)
1991—Applied to crop: All crops120 kg N/ha, 42 kg P/ha, 130 kg K/haunfertilized
1992—Applied to crop: All cropsfarmyard manure 2
1992—Applied to crop: All cropsNo fertilizer applied after 1953 (farmyard manure until 1952: 8 t farmyard manure per ha, resulting in ca. 43 kg N/ha, 13 kg P/ha, 40 kg K/ha)
- Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment yield trait All crops decitonnes per hectare annually composition of soil Not specified biennially
Related publications
- LTEhub Halle - Research hub on long-term experiments https://ltehub.landw.uni-halle.de/ [In English]
- Merbach, W. & Deubel, A. (2007) The Long-Term Fertilization trials in Halle (Saale), Germany: a tool for sustainable and environmentally compatible land management – contributions of plant nutrition science in Halle 132., rev. Ed. Dt. Uni.-Verl. [u.a.], Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-8350-9648-6 [In English]