Field Trials

The Julius-Kühn-Field is home to some of the oldest agricultural field trials in Germany and Europe: The Eternal Rye and the Fertilization Trials by Karl Schmalfuß. In Merbitz, a new field trial with focus on climate change adaptation will be installed soon.

  • The Eternal Rye trial, laid out in 1878 by Julius Kühn. Today, it is the oldest continuing field trial in Germany and the second oldest in the world.
  • The long-term fertilization trials founded by Karl Schmalfuß in 1949 investigate the effects of different amounts and types of lime, potassium, phosphate, mineral and organic fertilizers.
  • In a new organic crop rotation trial oil crops and legumes will be tested for sustainable and climate-resilient cropping systems.

Scientific head of the Crop Research Unit is Prof. Dr. Janna Macholdt is scientific head (Department of Agronomy and Organic Farming), deputy head is Prof. Dr. Edgar Peiter (Plant Nutrition lab). Dipl.-Ing. Bernd Look is head of technical management (AEVZ Merbitz)