Long-term productivity of legume based crop rotations
Abstract
Crop sequences are known to influence both yield and quality of crops and legumes have
the potential to replace or partially replace fertiliser nitrogen. There is a lack of available
data on the long-term sustainability of legume based rotations in modern UK agriculture.
This is being investigated in a long-term rotational trial with a stocked (traditional sheep
grazed ley/arable system, managed organically) and a stockless (all arable system with no
manure, managed organically). Annual grain yields of the organically grown oats in the
stocked system were not significantly different from National List/Recommended List
yields in NE Scotland for oats receiving 100 kg N ha−1. The highest yields of spring barley
and spring oats occurred following a ley in the stocked system. Wheat was grown only
in the stockless rotation but wheat directly after red clover had a higher yield than wheat
after potatoes following red clover again as a result of differences in soil fertility. Grain
had greater thousand grain weight and larger grain sizes occurring towards the end of the
rotation when available nitrogen levels were likely to be lowest. This research shows the
ability of legume based rotations to maintain productivity over time but also that rotation
design can be used to manipulate grain yield and quality.
Other Titles/Title of Conference
Valuing long-term sites and experiments for agriculture and ecology, Newcastle, UK
Publisher
Association of Applied Biologists
Journal Title/Title of Proceedings
Aspects of Applied Biology:Valuing long-term sites and experiments for agriculture and ecology
Volume/Issue Number
128
Page Numbers
189‐194
URI
http://www.aab.org.uk/contentok.php?id=177&basket=wwsshowconfdetshttp://hdl.handle.net/11262/10787