Long-term crop rotation and cropping system experiments can be used to evaluate the efficiency of different cropping systems and can act as a field laboratory for researchers within various disciplines. Data from the experiments can also be used to improve the ability of crop models to simulate production and yield levels as a function of changes in climate and cropping practices.
The experiment consists of three eight-year crop rotations and is laid out in a split-plot design with two replicates. Every year in the crop rotation is represented. The experiment compares crop rotations with ley (two-year and one-year) and without ley. Depending on specialisation, the crop residues are ploughed under, burned, removed or left in the field.
Borgeby (since 1961) R4-0002
The experiment consists of 12 six-year crop rotations and is laid out in a block design with four replicates. The crop rotations are winter wheat and maize in monoculture, winter wheat/maize with a break crop and a sustainability crop rotation, and a treatment with permanent ley. Not all years in the crop rotation are represented, but apart from in the monoculture treatments, winter wheat/maize are represented every year in one of the treatments where they are grown as a break crop. In crop rotations with winter wheat and maize in monoculture and winter wheat/maize with break crops, inversion and non-inversion tillage are applied.
Säby (2010) R4-0009
The experiment consists of seven six-year crop rotations and is laid out in a split-split-plot design with two replicates. Every year in the crop rotation is represented. Six of the seven crop rotations are monocultures of the spring crops wheat, oats and barley. Up to the end of 2011, the experiment had four nitrogen levels and in the monocultures the straw was tilled down or burned.
Säby (1967) R4-0906
The experiment consists of three six-year crop rotations and is laid out in a split-split-plot design at Lanna and Säby and in a split-strip-plot design at Stenstugu. Every year in the crop rotation is represented, but there are no replicate crops in the crop rotation. The experiment has four nitrogen levels.
