SRUC Tulloch Organic Rotations

This experiment has been added by the GLTEN Curators using existing published sources.
Objective
Ley arable crop rotations to investigate the long-term productivity of legume based systems.
Description
Two six-years organic rotations compared: 1. 50% ley, three year grass and clover followed by spring oats, then swedes then spring oats under-sown back in to grass. 2. 67% ley, four years of grass and clover followed by spring oats, then by spring oats under-sown back in to grass. Sheep grazing grass and under-sown oats, sheep with-held on one rotation from 2007. Certified organic systems by Soil Association Standards. The rotations are managed organically without any inputs from soluble fertilisers. A stocked rotation represents a typical rotation for the North East of Scotland with sheep grazing grass/white clover leys in the ley phase. The stockless rotation investigates the feasibility of stockless organic farming in the region. The stockless rotation does not have grazing livestock and does not use imported livestock manure. Originally (from 1991) the trial compared two stocked ley/arable rotations comprising Tulloch 2: 50 % ley rotation (3 years of grass/white clover followed by spring oats, swedes and undersown spring oats) and Tulloch 1: 67% ley rotation (4 years of grass/white clover followed by spring oats, and undersown spring oats). This is the oldest organically managed crop rotation trial in Europe that includes grazing livestock, as many “grazed” trials simply simulate grazing using a cut and mulch approach. In 2007 the Tulloch 1 rotation was changed to include two stockless rotations (grass/red clover, potatoes or spring wheat followed by spring wheat or potatoes, spring beans, spring barley, and finally spring oats. All cereals and beans are undersown with white clover, with the exception of oats which in that case are undersown with a red clover / ryegrass mixture). In 2007, the Tulloch 2 rotation was also split so that it included two stocked rotations, with either spring oats (as per the original rotation) or spring barley after the grass-clover ley. All other crops in the stocked rotation remained in the same sequence as they had since 1991. All plots were limed in 2007 to raise the soil pH to just above pH 6.0. A range of data is available from the trials including yield, as well as crop quality data and soil analysis data, with annual standard soil sampling taking place to a depth of 15cm in late winter (pre-ploughing) every year, with a number of soil chemical properties analysed, including plant available P, K and Mg, soil pH and soil organic matter (Loss on Ignition). A range of other crop biomass and quality as well as soil related data (including soil N at different depths) is available for research purposes and collaboration and requests should be directed towards staff working on the project.
Data Access Statement
Available online with registration
Data Access Notes
For access rights registration with credentials required.
Data license
Don't know
Data URL
https://sruc.herokuapp.com/
Data policy
Don't know
Organization
People
Christine Watson
Robin Walker
SRUC Craibstone
Kairsty Topp
SRUC Craibstone

Site: Tulloch Organic Rotation/s

Type
research station field
Location
Craibstone
Aberdeen
Scotland
Geographic location
57.184761, -2.209816
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Elevation
125 Metres
Visits permitted?
No
History
Typical farming systemsof the area, research investigations started from 1904.
Management
Fym applied to match stocking rate. 2006 Scottish Organic Action Plan came out and changes made to trial. In both rotations lime, rock phosphate and sulphate of potash are used on the basis of need recognised by soil analysis in line with Soil Association organic standards. To date, additions have been limited to moderate applications approximately once per rotational cycle. Each rotation is replicated twice with all courses of the rotation present in every year.
Soil description
sandy loam
Soil properties
VariableDepthValue (range)UnitsRef yearEstimated?Baseline?
soil pH 6
soil organic carbon 9 Percent
Climate properties
VariableTime periodValue (range)Units
precipitation850 millimeter

Design period: 1991-2006 (1991—2006)

Crops
CropYears grown
grass clover leys
spring oats
swedes
oats
grass
Crop Rotations
Tulloch 2 50% ley
  • 1
    grass clover leys
  • 2
    grass clover leys
  • 3
    grass clover leys
  • 4
    spring oats
  • 5
    swedes
  • 6
    oats
    under sown with grass
Tulloch 1 67% ley
  • 1
    grass clover leys
  • 2
    grass clover leys
  • 3
    grass clover leys
  • 4
    grass clover leys
  • 5
    spring oats
    under sown with grass
  • 6
    oats
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
yield componentsNot specified
soil organic carbonNot specified
grain quality traitsNot specified
soil fertilityNot specified

Design period: from 2007 (2007—)

Description
Changes from previous design period: 67% ley discontinued; spring barley grown with the spring oats in split plots in 50% ley rotation. A stockless system was introduced. A new 67% ley introduced - considered a 'vegan farming system' as no livestock, no manure or slurry and no fodder crops.
Crops
CropYears grown
grass clover leys
spring oats
spring barley
swedes
potatoes
beans
spring wheat
Crop Rotations
Tulloch 2 50% ley  2007—
  • 1
    grass clover leys
  • 2
    grass clover leys
  • 3
    grass clover leys
  • 4
    spring oats
    split with spring barley
  • 5
    swedes
  • 6
    spring oats
    under sown with grass
Tulloch 1 67% ley
  • 1
    grass clover leys
  • 2
    potatoes
    or spring wheat
  • 3
    spring wheat
    or potatoes
  • 4
    beans
    under sown with clover
  • 5
    spring barley
    under sown with clover
  • 6
    spring oats
    under sown with clover
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
yield componentsNot specified
soil organic carbonNot specified
soil fertilityNot specified
grain quality traitsNot specified

Related publications