Woburn Amounts of Straw

Local identifier
W/CS/326
Years operational
1987—2017
Objective
To study the effects of a range of amounts of straw incorporated into the soil on winter wheat
Description
This experiment, along with the Rothamsted Amounts of Straw experiment provides a comparison of soil organic matter dynamics in contrasting soil types, at Rothamsted (a silty clay loam) and at Woburn (a sandy loam). The experiments have been used to study soil structure and earthworm activity. The experiment was discontinued after the 2017 harvest. No yields were recorded in 2016 and 2017.
Data Access Statement
Available to any researcher on request
Data Access Notes
Contact the e-RA curators: [email protected]
Data license
CC BY
Data policy
Yes (not online)
Organizations
Rothamsted Research
research organisation
Woburn Experimental Farm
experimental research station
People
Dr Margaret Glendining
data manager
Rothamsted Research
Intelligent Data Ecosystems
Dr Andrew Gregory
experiment manager
Rothamsted Research
Protecting Crops and the Environment

Site: Far Field I

Type
research farm
Location
Husborne Crawley
Bedfordshire
United Kingdom
Geographic location
52.008415, -0.619397
+−
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Elevation
102 Metres
Visits permitted?
No
Visiting arrangements
The experiment finished in 2017 so site visits are no longer possible
History
Winter wheat was grown for the 3 years prior to the experiment starting
Management
Site followed standard farm management practice for cultivation and pest control.
Soil type
cambisol
Soil description
Well drained sandy loam soil of the Lowlands Series.
Soil properties
VariableDepthValue (range)UnitsRef yearEstimated?Baseline?
clay content0 – 23 Centimetres8 Percent
soil pH0 – 23 Centimetres7 (7.1 – 6.8) 2008
Climatic type
temperate oceanic climate
Climate properties
VariableTime periodValue (range)Units
precipitation 1981 – 2010 652 (460.5 – 870.4) millimeter
air temperature9.9 (8.7 – 10.9) degree Celsius

Design period: Main period (1987—2017)

Design Type
Randomized complete block design
Description
Plots were 3m x 14.5m. Soil was sampled from all treatments after 7, 11 and 22 years of contrasting straw treatments
Design description
Wheat straw was incorporated annually at a rate of none, once, twice, and four times the yield of straw the previous year (approximately 0, 5, 10 and 20 t/ha)
Number of blocks
3
Number of plots
12
Number of replicates
3
Number of harvests per year
1
Crop
CropYears grown
wheat
Factor
Factor name
Factor levels
crop residue management process
Chopped wheat straw applied annually before sowing.
Plot application: Whole plot
control exposure
All crop residues were removed.
normal  (5 t/ha)
2 x normal  (20 t/ha)
4 x normal  (20 t/ha)
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
grain yield traitwheatt/haannuallyplot
total soil nitrogenSoil%occasionallyplotMeasured by LECO combustion
soil organic carbonSoil%occasionallyTotal C by LECO combustion minus CaCO3

Related publications

  • Sizmur, T. , Martin, E. , Wagner, K. , Parmentier, E. , Watts, C. and Whitmore, A. P. (2017) "Milled cereal straw accelerates earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) growth more than selected organic amendments", Applied Soil Ecology, 113, 166-177
  • Jenkyn, J. F. , Christian, D. G. , Bacon, E. T. G. , Gutteridge, R. J. and Todd, A. D. (2001) "Effects of incorporating different amounts of straw on growth, diseases and yield of consecutive crops of winter wheat grown on contrasting soil types", Journal of Agricultural Science, 136, 1-14
  • The Multi-Fungicide Resistance Status of Aspergillus fumigatus populations in Arable Soils and the Wider European Environment
  • Powlson, D. S. , Glendining, M. J. , Coleman, K. and Whitmore, A. P. (2011) "Implications for Soil Properties of Removing Cereal Straw: Results from Long-Term Studies"