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.
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 Research
research organisation
People
Dr Margaret Glendining
data manager
Rothamsted Research
Computational and Analytical Sciences
Dr Andy Macdonald
Rothamsted Research
Sustainable Agricultural Sciences - Harpenden

Site: Intensive cereals, Woburn Stackyard I

Type
research station field
Local code
W/RN/13
Location
Husborne Crawley
Bedfordshire
UK
Geographic location
52.0003, -0.6149
+−
© OpenStreetMap contributors
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
CropYears grown
winter wheat
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
yield componentsAll cropst/haannuallyGrain and straw yields at field moisture content, approximately 85% dry matter.
grain nitrogen contentNot specified%annually1883 onwards
soil pHSoiloccasionallyMeasured 5 times, in 1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932. Topsoil (0-23cm). Subsoil (23-46cm) measured in 192.
total soil nitrogenSoil%occasionallyMeasured 5 times, in 1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932. Topsoil (0-23cm).
soil total carbonSoil%occasionallyMeasured 5 times, in 1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932. Topsoil (0-23cm).
exchangeable cationsSoiloccasionallyMeasured 3 times, in 1888, 1898 and 1927. Topsoil (0-23cm). Ca, Mg, Na and K.
crop varietyNot specifiedannuallyAlso 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
CropYears grown
barley
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
yield componentsbarleyt/haannuallyGrain and straw yields at field moisture content, approximately 85% dry matter.
grain nitrogen contentbarley%annuallySince 1883
soil pHSoiloccasionallyMeasured five times in topsoil, 0-23cm (1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932) and subsoil (23-46cm) in 1927.
total soil nitrogenSoil%occasionallyMeasured five times in topsoil, 0-23cm (1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932)
soil total carbonSoil%occasionallyMeasured five times in topsoil, 0-23cm (1876, 1888, 1898, 1927 and 1932)
Exchangeable cationsSoiloccasionallyExchangeable cations Ca, Mg, Na, and K 1888, 1898 and 1927.
crop varietybarleyannuallyAlso 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
  • Experiments made on Stackyard Field, Woburn,1876-1974. III. Effects of NPK Fertilizers and Farmyard Manure on Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Organic Phosphorus
  • 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
  • Changes in soil phosphorus fractions following positive and negative phosphorus balances for long periods.
  • Woburn Experimental Farm. Reports for 1926-7 and 1927-8. 1: Continuous growing of wheat and barley (Stackyard field).