oldest agricultural experiment station

Rothamsted Research Station

• Experiments

Rothamsted Research is a world-leading, non-profit research centre that focuses on strategic agricultural science to the benefit of farmers and society worldwide.

There are several other long-term experiments at Rothamsted (Harpenden), and also at two other sites, Woburn (in Bedfordshire) and Saxmundham (in Suffolk) on contrasting soil types. We make the data and samples collected from the Classical and other long-term experiments available to researchers worldwide.

Field Plan and Soil Map of Rothamsted

The site and soils at Rothamsted are described in this booklet: Avery, BW & Catt, JA 1995 'The Soil at Rothamsted', Lawes Agricultural Trust, Harpenden. - underlying map is copyright OS DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-143

Rothamsted Research is the longest-running agricultural research institution in the world. Its foundation dates from 1843 when John Bennet Lawes, the owner of the Rothamsted Estate, appointed Joseph Henry Gilbert, a chemist, as his scientific collaborator and planted the first of what were to become the classical Rothamsted long term experiments, on Broadbalk field. The scientific partnership between Lawes and Gilbert lasted 57 years, and together they laid the foundations of modern scientific agriculture and established the principles of crop nutrition.

Experiments at Rothamsted Site

Classical experiments, other long-term experiments, key references.

• Macdonald, A. , Poulton, P. , Clark, I. , Scott, T. , Glendining, M. , Perryman, S. , Storkey, J. , Bell, J. , Shield, I. , McMillan, V. and Hawkins, J.(2018) "Guide to the Classical and Other Long-term experiments, Datasets and Sample Archive. Rothamsted Research", , 57 pp. DOI: 10.23637/ROTHAMSTED-LONG-TERM-EXPERIMENTS-GUIDE-2018
• Scott, T.(2015) "The U.K. Environmental Change Network Rothamsted. Physical and Atmospheric Measurements. The first 20 Years. Lawes Agricultural Trust Ltd.", , 32pp. DOI: 10.23637/ecn-rothamsted-booklet-2015
• Rothamsted_Research(2006) "Guide to the Classical and other Long-term Experiments, Datasets and Sample Archive (reprinted 2012)", Rothamsted Research, Lawes Agricultural Trust Ltd, Harpenden UK , , DOI: 10.23637/rothamsted-long-term-experiments-guide-2006
• Avery, B.W. and Catt, J.A.(1995) "The soil at Rothamsted", Lawes Agricultural Trust Co. Ltd, Harpenden UK , , 44 + map Get from eRAdoc: Soils1995-2-44 DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-143
• Rothamsted(1991) "Guide to the Classical Field Experiments", Rothamsted Experimental Station, Lawes Agricultural Trust, Harpenden UK , , DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-189
• Rothamsted(1984) "Guide to the Classical Field Experiments", Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts, Lawes Agricultural Trust , , 32pp DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-190
• Johnston, A.E. , Poulton, P.R. and MeEwen, J.(1981) "The Soils of Rothamsted Farm. The Carbon and Nitrogen of the Soils and the Effect of Changes in Crop Rotation and Manuring on Soil pH, P, K and Mg", Rothamsted Experimental Station Annual Report for 1980, Part 2 , , 5-20 Get from eRAdoc: ResReport1980p2-5-20 DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-34236
• Rothamsted(1977) "Details of the Classical and Long-Term Experiments 1968-1973", Rothamsted Experimental Station, Lawes Agricultural Trust, Harpenden UK , , 77pp DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-193
• Rothamsted(1966) "Details of the Classical and Long-Term Experiments up to 1962", Rothamsted Experimental Station, Lawes Agricultural Trust, Harpenden UK , , 87pp DOI: 10.23637/ERADOC-1-191

For further information and assistance, please contact the e-RA curators, Sarah Perryman and Margaret Glendining using the e-RA email address: [email protected]