Summary
This five-year field experiment at Rothamsted examined the effects of four organic fertiliser types (anaerobic digestate, compost, farmyard manure, and straw) on cereal yield and nutrient composition under intensive arable conditions with uniform mineral fertiliser baseline inputs. Non-straw amendments increased grain yield by 18% and straw yield by 28%, with highest application rates reaching 23% and 37% increases respectively, whilst also significantly elevating secondary and micronutrient concentrations (particularly P, Ca, S in straw; P and Fe in grain) without biomass dilution effects. The research demonstrates that organic amendments can improve both productivity and nutritional quality in intensively managed crops, and validates portable x-ray fluorescence as a cost-effective screening method.
UK applicability
The trial was conducted at Rothamsted in the United Kingdom, making findings directly applicable to UK arable farming conditions and policy frameworks. Results suggest organic fertilisers could enhance both yield and nutrient density in UK-grown cereals without compromising mineral fertiliser efficiency, with implications for sustainable intensification policy.
Key measures
Straw and grain yield; soil and crop nutrient concentrations (P, K, Ca, S, Fe, Zn); amendment carbon application rates (1, 1.75, 2.5, 3.5 t C ha⁻¹); portable x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) measurements
Outcomes reported
The study measured crop yield (straw and grain), soil nutrient status, and concentrations of secondary and micronutrients in harvested crop material following five seasons of organic fertiliser amendment application. It assessed whether nutrient dilution occurred in higher-yielding amended plots and evaluated portable x-ray fluorescence as a screening tool for organic fertilisers.
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