Long-term field experiments of the world

Abstract

Long-term field experiments are indispensable sources of knowledge. They are vitally important in monitoring, understanding and proving the changes in soil fertility occurring as a result of long-term agrotechnical operations, first of all that of fertilization. Because of longevity, it is fairly costly to maintain them. Their scientific and practical value is, however, immeasurable and keeps growing with their age. The information concerning the land use can not be replaced by other means. The oldest long-term experiments that have run continuously since their foundation are 160-years-old now. They were established at Rothamsted in England by the Rothamsted Experimental Station's founder J. B. Lawes and J. H. Gilbert in 1843. The scientific work of J. von Liebig, the German chemist, who drew up the theory of the increase of soil fertility, has also contributed to the foundation of the Rothamsted Classic Experiments to a large extent. In those days heated discussions about nutrient recycling incited the experimentation and scientific investigation. The experimentation in England has focused attention on long-term field experiments, and such experiments were soon set up in other lands too. In our days long-term experiments of more than 100 years can be found in six lands. These provide results characteristic first of all for the given site, however they concentrate attention on universally valid, surprisingly actual relations of cause and effect as well. These experiments are of great help to us to reconcile ecological and economic interests and to clear up actual questions of environmentally friendly nutrient supply and sustainable husbandry.