Nutrient leaching from organic cropping systems with livestock, R0-0047
- Local identifier
- R0-0047, R0-0046
- Years operational
- 1998—
- Objective
- Study realistic crop rotation for organic system with livestock, in this experiment a system with dairy production on a Sandy loam soil.
- Description
- The system was adapted to follow the principles for organic farming and regulations for the Swedish certification system for organic farming (KRAV), this was done in collaboration with stakeholders. The amount of cow manure (applied as liquid manure) was adapted to represent the amount of cows on a farm with animal feed self-sufficiency. Even though organic farming has developed towards increased intensity with import of feed or manure from conventional farms, this is still in the core idea of the design. This implies that the amount of manure used corresponds to 0.7 dairy cows/ha. The experiment generated considerable knowledge about nutrient dynamics and losses in organic cropping systems and also about how to manage grass/clover leys and green manure crops in order to reduce leaching risks, for example with timing of harvests and time of incorporation. From 2020, we introduced a somewhat new design in order to investigate strategies for weed control. This is a challenge in organic crop production, where intensive mechanical treatment of weeds often increase the risk of N leaching. Therefore, strategies with row hoeing and cover crops for suppression of weeds is highly interesting. Two strategies are studied, one with high tillage intensity and one where row cultivation and cover crops (where possible) is the main method for weed control. The leys will also be an important component for weed suppression although this is the same for both strategies. During the years, samples for soil mineral N has been taken at different times but in the present strategy no mineral N is determined. Yields of main crop, including leys, are determined every year with analyses of N, P and K and samples of grain are archived. Samples for basic soil chemical properties are taken with six years interval (archived). Water flow is registered and flow-proportional water samples are analysed for Tot-N, Tot-P, NO3-N and K. Two plots at Mellby, next to R0-0047, have been under permanent grass since 2007. The grass is cut once a season and the biomass determined. This type of areas, representing land use change from arable land to set-aside land, are very interesting for producing reference values for what is reachable targets for water quality. Staff at Hushållningssällskapet Halland perform the experimental work.
- Data Access Statement
- Available to any researcher on request
- Data Access Notes
- An online application form for access to the long-term field experiments or data from these experiments. Seed sample archive available. Request sends to the experimental manager.
- Data license
- Don't know
- Data URL
- https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.slu.se%2Fglobalassets%2Few%2Forg%2Fcentrb%2Flangliggande%2Fgb-ltt-application-form-slu-20140820.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK
- Data policy
- https://www.slu.se/globalassets/ew/org/centrb/langliggande/gb-guidelines_lte_slu_20140820.pdf
- Organizations
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU Agricultural Long-Term Experimentsresearch organisationHushållningssällskapet Hallandexperimental research station
- People
- Senior Lecturer Helena Aronssonprincipal investigatorSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Soil and Environment; Agricultural water managementResearcher Lisbet Norbergprincipal investigatorSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Soil and Environment; Agricultural water managementReserach engineer Maria Blombergdata managerSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Soil and Environment; Agricultural water management
Site: Nutrient leaching from organic cropping systems with livestock, R0-0047
- Type
- research station field
- Local code
- R0-0047
- Location
- MellbyHallandSweden
- Geographic location
- 56.481698, 12.98319
- Elevation
- 7 Metres
- Visits permitted?
- Yes
- Soil type
- unknown
- Soil description
- Sandy loam
- Soil properties
Variable Depth Value (range) Units Ref year Estimated? Baseline? clay content 0 – 30 Centimetres 7.8 Percent 1989 clay content 30 – 40 Centimetres 2.3 Percent 1989 clay content 40 – 50 Centimetres 3.1 Percent 1989 clay content 50 – 60 Centimetres 2.7 Percent 1989 clay content 70 – 80 Centimetres 45.4 Percent 1989 silt content 0 – 30 Centimetres 4.9 Percent 1989 silt content 30 – 40 Centimetres 2.1 Percent 1989 silt content 40 – 50 Centimetres 2.1 Percent 1989 silt content 50 – 60 Centimetres 19.1 Percent 1989 silt content 70 – 80 Centimetres 30.1 Percent 1989 sand content 0 – 30 Centimetres 83.1 Percent sand content 30 – 40 Centimetres 64.9 Percent sand content 40 – 50 Centimetres 94.2 Percent sand content 50 – 60 Centimetres 77.7 Percent sand content 70 – 80 Centimetres 22.6 Percent - Climatic type
- temperate oceanic climate
- Climate description
- Long-term averages from Swedish Meterological and Hydrological institute (SMHI), Halmstad (station no.62400). Local climate can be found at https://www.slu.se/fakulteter/nj/om-fakulteten/centrumbildningar-och-storre-forskningsplattformar/faltforsk/vader/lantmet/ the station name is Mellby Sa (26926).
- Climate properties
Variable Time period Value (range) Units air temperature 1961 – 1990 7.2 degree Celsius air temperature 1991 – 2020 8.4 degree Celsius precipitation 1961 – 1990 783 millimeter precipitation 1991 – 2020 850 millimeter
Design period: (1998—)
- Description
- Plot size 30x30 m No. of plots 8 Spacing between tiles 7 m Depth of tiles 0.9-1 m Treatment replicates 4 Organic set crop rotation Types of fertilizer/amendments Cattle slurry Cover crops sometimes Autumn tillage Crop rotation and treatments in the organic cropping system experiments with livestock since 2020 Oats with undersown ley Ley I Ley II Oil rape seed Winter wheat Field bean Treatment A Strategy for weeds with leys and repeated stubble cultivation in autumn Treatment B Strategy for weeds with leys, double row spacing and row cultivation during season Main components of crop rotation and treatments in the organic cropping system experiments with livestock, 1998-2018 Whole grain silage with undersown ley Ley I Ley II Ley III Oil rape seed+cover crop Barley
- Number of plots
- 8
- Number of replicates
- 4
- Crops
Crop Years grown