Summary
This five-season field experiment at Rothamsted evaluated multiple organic fertiliser amendments applied at varying carbon rates alongside uniform mineral fertiliser inputs. Non-straw amendments increased straw yield by up to 37% and grain yield by up to 23%, whilst improving secondary and micronutrient concentrations in crops—notably phosphorus, calcium, and sulphur in straw, and phosphorus and iron in grain. The findings suggest organic fertilisers can enhance both productivity and nutritional quality in intensive arable systems without nutrient dilution, and that pXRF offers a cost-effective screening method for fertiliser assessment.
UK applicability
The findings are directly applicable to UK arable farming, as the study was conducted at Rothamsted Research (a leading UK institution) under typical intensive UK cereal production conditions. The results suggest organic fertilisers could improve both yield and crop nutrient density in UK arable agriculture, though adoption barriers and economic viability remain beyond the study's scope.
Key measures
Straw and grain yield (expressed as percentage change relative to control); concentrations of secondary nutrients (P, Ca, S, K) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn) in straw and grain; soil nutrient status; pXRF measurement reliability
Outcomes reported
The study compared effects of anaerobic digestate, compost, farmyard manure, straw, and amendment-straw mixtures on crop yield, straw and grain nutrient concentrations, and soil properties over five seasons. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) was evaluated as a screening tool for organic fertiliser assessment.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.