Crop Production Systems, subject area within SLU Agricultural Long-Term Experiments
Project overview
More related research
Short summary
Crop rotation trials provide information about the efficiency of cultivation systems from various perspectives. Data from the experiments - many of which have been running since the 1960s - can also be used for other studies, such as simulating how climate changes or farming practices affect yield.
Crop rotations with different types of operation (R4-0002)
The importance of pre-crop effect in different cultivation systems
The experiment, placed at Borgeby Gård in Skåne in 1961, consists of three 8-year crop rotations and has the statistical structure "split-plot" with two repetitions. Every year in the crop rotation is represented. The experiment compares crop rotations with grassland (two and one years, respectively) and without grassland. It also compares what happens if the plant residues are ploughed, burned, removed or remain in the field.
The experiment has shown, among other things, that the yield is influenced more by the preceding crop (the pre-crop) than by the crop rotation.
Information about the importance of the pre-crop in different cultivation systems in the database Nordic Field Trial System (NFTS).
Autumn or spring crops in a warmer climate? (R4-0009)
The experiment, a block experiment with four repetitions, was established in 2010 at Säby in Uppland and consists of twelve 6-year crop rotations. The crop rotations are winter wheat and maize in monocultures, winter wheat/maize with break crop, and a sustainable crop rotation and one rotation with a permanent ley. Not all years in the crop rotation are represented, but except in the monoculture trail, winter wheat/maize is represented every year in one of the rotations were they are grown with break crops. In crop rotations with monocultures of winter wheat/maize and in winter wheat/maize with break crop, turning and non-turning soil tillage is applied.
Information about the experiment Autumn or spring crops in a warmer climate in the database Nordic Field Trial System (NFTS).
Monoculture experiment with spring cereals (R4-0906)
The effects of monoculture on soil and crops
The experiment with seven 6-year crop rotations was established at Säby in Uppland in 1967. The statistical layout is split-split-plot with two repetitions and each year in the crop rotation is represented. Six of the seven crop rotations are monocultures of the spring crops wheat, oats and barley.
Until 2011, the experiment had four nitrogen levels and in the monocultures the straw was ploughed in or burned.
Information about the experiment The effects of monoculture on soil and crops in the database Nordic Field Trial System (NFTS).
Crop rotations with or without ley (R4-1103)
Effects of grass, grass/legume ley
Between the years 1965 and 1969, this experiment was established at Lanna in Västergötland, at Stenstugu on Gotland and at Säby in Uppland. The experiments consist of three 6-year crop rotations and have the statistical layout split-split-plot at Lanna and Säby and split-strip plot at Stenstugu. Each year in the crop rotation is represented but no replicates for crops in crop rotation. The experiment has four nitrogen levels.
For more information about the experiments with or without ley, follow the links to the trials in the database Nordic Field Trial System (NFTS):