Management and modification procedures for long-term field experiments

Long-term experiments like those at Rothamsted in southeast England offer the best practical means of studying the effects of land management or global change on soil fertility, sustainability of yield or wider environmental issues. For the data from such experiments to be of use, farmers, scientists and policy makers must be certain of their validity. This is best assured by the rigorous management of the experiment, by ensuring that any changes are carefully considered and that all operations are well-documented. A steady flow of well-interpreted, published data is also essential. This paper gives examples of how the long-term field experiments at Rothamsted have been managed and how modifications have been made to ensure their relevance to modem agriculture.