SLU long-term field experiments: The frame trial (R3-RAM56), crop and soil data from 1956 and onwards
https://doi.org/10.5878/7f5n-vp94
The SLU long-term agricultural field experiments are a nationwide research infrastructure consisting of experiments in hydrological management, tillage, landscape ecology, plant nutrition, weed biology and control, cropping systems, and cropping systems in northern Sweden. They are used to study how crop rotations and cultivation measures in agriculture affect soil properties and crop yields in the long term, and the effect of weather and climate on the efficacy of these treatments. The experimental sites and the data collected in the long-term experiments are a valuable resource for research, teaching and consulting. The experiments are open for those who want to use data already collected or who want to do their own sampling. All long term experiments are funded by the NJ faculty and administered by an academic department, with the activities coordinated by a committee.
Twenty four long-term field experiments in plant nutrition and soil fertility are currently managed by the Department of Soil and Environment at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. These experiments, starting as early as 1936 or as recently as 2010, are grouped into eight different experimental series that focus on themes such as agronomically-relevant factors including liming, long-term soil fertility, soil organic matter and soil biology. Plant and soil samples have been collected, measured for standard parameters, and archived since the start of the experiments, forming the basis of over 200 theses and papers across a broad range of disciplines.
The frame experiment is located at the Ultuna Campus at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and has been ongoing since 1956. The aim of the experiment is to study the effect of different combinations of organic matter and nitrogen fertilization on soil organic matter content, yield level and crop nutrient content. This dataset contains values for nutrient content in crops, soil and organic matter, and yields between 1956 and 2023. The data is provided as a single tsv file (RAM56_data.tsv), with an additional seven tsv files providing context. Physical data collected by researchers since the beginning of the experiment, together with plant and soil samples collected from a subset of time points during the experiment, are stored at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
Documentation files
Documentation files
Citation and access
Citation and access
Data access level:
Creator/Principal investigator(s):
Research principal:
Data contains personal data:
No
Citation:
Language:
Method and outcome
Method and outcome
Unit of analysis:
Study design:
- Field trial
- Experimental study
Description of study design:
The experiment consist of 15 treatments with four field replicates, resulting in a total of 60
plots organized in four blocks. Plots are randomized except for block 1. Organic material is added in autumn every second year. Nitrogen is applied yearly. All treatments receive 20 kg P ha and 38 kg K ha-1. The type of mineral P and K fertilizer is not specified in the experimental plan. Crop rotation were alternating spring cereals and spring oil seed until 2000, after that only maize harvested as green forage has been grown.
Sampling procedure:
Description of sampling:
All above-ground biomass from crops is sampled every year. Topsoil samples (0-20cm unless otherwise stated) were collected after harvest and just before provision of new amendments twice in the first two decades and then every second year until 2019. The sampling frequency has now been reduced to every 4 years to preserve the limited soil in the plots.
Time period(s) investigated:
Variables:
62
Data collection
Data collection
Data collector:
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Opens a new window at ror.org.
ROR
Temporal resolution:
1 year
Geographic coverage
Geographic coverage
Geographic location:
Geographic description:
59.81256, -17.65095. Agricultural fields in Ultuna.
Administrative information
Administrative information
Responsible department/unit:
Department of Soil and Environment
Contributor(s):
- Emme Macdonald – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - Department of Soil and Environment
- Sven L. Jansson – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Jan Persson – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Holger Kirchmann – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Lennart Mattsson – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Gunnar Börjesson – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Hans Nömmik – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Olle Gunnarsson – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Funding
Funding
Funding agency:
- European Research Council
Opens a new window at ror.org.
ROR
Award number:
862695
Award title:
Towards climate-smart sustainable management of agricultural soils
Funding information:
This research was conducted within the framework of the European Joint Program for SOIL ‘Towards climate-smart sustainable management of agricultural soils’ (EJP SOIL) funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement N° 862695).
Funding agency:
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Opens a new window at ror.org.
ROR
Funding information:
Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences
Topic and keywords
Topic and keywords
Swedish Standard Classification of Research Subjects 2025:
Publications
Publications
Link to publication list:
Citation:
Pold G, MacDonald E, Braun S, Herrmann A. 2025. Soil and vegetation property data from the Ultuna R3-RAM56 long-term soil amendment experiment, 1956-2023. Data in Brief. 111350.
Metadata
Metadata
Version 1
