Woburn Intensive cereals
- Local identifier
- W/RN/13
- Years operational
- 1876—1990
- Objective
- To study the effects of intensive cereal cropping on yield, incidence of soil-borne pathogens and organic matter in the soil.
- Description
- These experiments are almost identical to the Broadbalk and Hoosfield Barley experiments at Rothamsted, but at Woburn. They are also known as the Woburn Continuous Wheat and Barley experiments. They started in 1876 on Woburn Stackyard, and where carried out by the Royal Agricultural Society of England but with input from Lawes. They were under continuous wheat and barley, mirroring the Broadbalk and Hoosfield Experiments, until 1926. According to Voelcker (1929), after 1926 it was decided to fallow the plots, which had become infested with weeds.
- Farm operation data?
- Sample archive?
- Samples available?
- Data Access Statement
- Available online with registration
- Data Access Notes
- Contact the e-RA curators; era@rothamsted.ac.uk
- Data license
- CC BY
- Data policy
- Yes (not online)
- Organization
- Rothamsted Researchresearch organisation
- People
- Dr Margaret Glendiningdata managerRothamsted ResearchComputational and Analytical SciencesDr Andy MacdonaldRothamsted ResearchSustainable Agricultural Sciences - Harpenden
Site: Intensive cereals, Woburn Stackyard I
- Type
- research station field
- Local code
- W/RN/13
- Location
- Husborne CrawleyBedfordshireUK
- Geographic location
- 52.0003, -0.6149
- Elevation
- 89 Metres
- Visits permitted?
- No
- History
- The experiments started in 1876 on Woburn Stackyard, and where carried out by the Royal Agricultural Society of England but with input from John Lawes at Rothamsted. They were under continuous wheat and barley, mirroring the Broadbalk and Hoosfield Experiments, until 1926. According to Voelcker (1929), after 1926 it was decided to fallow the plots, which had become infested with weeds.
- Soil type
- Eutric Rubic Arenosol
- Soil description
- Sandy loam
- Climatic type
- temperate oceanic climate
Design period: Continuous wheat experiment (1876—1990)
- Design Type
- Demonstration strip design
- Description
- Continuous winter wheat grown, to mirror the Broadbalk wheat experiment at Rothamsted. A range of fertilizer and manure treatments similar to those on Broadbalk, including unmanured, 1876-1926. From 1927-1940 no fertilizer or manure was applied. The experiment was fallowed in 1927, 1928, 1934 and 1935 to control weeds. A new scheme as started in 1943. The experiment finished in 1990.
- Number of plots
- 22
- Number of replicates
- 1
- Number of harvests per year
- 1
- Crop
Crop Years grown winter wheat - Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment yield components All crops t/ha annually Grain and straw yields at field moisture content, approximately 85% dry matter. grain nitrogen content Not specified % annually 1883 onwards soil pH Soil occasionally Measured 5 times, in 1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932. Topsoil (0-23cm). Subsoil (23-46cm) measured in 192. total soil nitrogen Soil % occasionally Measured 5 times, in 1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932. Topsoil (0-23cm). soil total carbon Soil % occasionally Measured 5 times, in 1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932. Topsoil (0-23cm). exchangeable cations Soil occasionally Measured 3 times, in 1888, 1898 and 1927. Topsoil (0-23cm). Ca, Mg, Na and K. crop variety Not specified annually Also sowing and harvest dates
Design period: Continuous barley experiment (1876—1926)
- Design Type
- Demonstration strip design
- Description
- Continuous barley grown, to mirror the Hoosfield barley experiment at Rothamsted. A range of fertilizer and manure treatments similar to those on Hoosfield, including unmanured, 1876-1926. From 1927-1940 no fertilizer or manure was applied. The experiment was fallowed in 1927, 1928, 1934 and 1935 to control weeds. A new scheme as started in 1943. The experiment finished in 1990.
- Number of plots
- 26
- Number of replicates
- 1
- Number of harvests per year
- 1
- Crop
Crop Years grown barley - Measurements
Variable Material Units Frequency Scale Comment yield components barley t/ha annually Grain and straw yields at field moisture content, approximately 85% dry matter. grain nitrogen content barley % annually Since 1883 soil pH Soil occasionally Measured five times in topsoil, 0-23cm (1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932) and subsoil (23-46cm) in 1927. total soil nitrogen Soil % occasionally Measured five times in topsoil, 0-23cm (1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932) soil total carbon Soil % occasionally Measured five times in topsoil, 0-23cm (1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932) Exchangeable cations Soil occasionally Exchangeable cations Ca, Mg, Na, and K 1888, 1898 and 1927. crop variety barley annually Also sowing and harvest dates.
Related publications
- Experiments made on Stackyard Field, Woburn, 1876-1974. 1. History of the Field, Details of the Cropping and Manuring and the Yields in the Continuous Wheat and Barley Experiments https://doi.org/10.23637/ERADOC-1-9 [In English]
- Experiments made on Stackyard Field, Woburn,1876-1974. III. Effects of NPK Fertilizers and Farmyard Manure on Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Organic Phosphorus https://doi.org/10.23637/ERADOC-1-9 [In English]
- Experiments made on Stackyard Field, Woburn,1876-1974. II Effects of Treatments on Soil pH, P and K in the Continuous Wheat and Barley Experiments https://doi.org/10.23637/ERADOC-1-9 [In English]
- Changes in soil phosphorus fractions following positive and negative phosphorus balances for long periods. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025544817872 [In English]
- Woburn Experimental Farm. Reports for 1926-7 and 1927-8. 1: Continuous growing of wheat and barley (Stackyard field).