Field trial data set of a six-field crop rotation for the validation of agro-ecosystem models from the Experimental Station Hohenfinow, Germany

For the experimental site Hohenfinow (52.8115 N, 13.9266 E, altitude: 55 m), Germany, a data set of a six-field crop rotation (silage maize, winter rye, winter oilseed rape, winter barley, winter wheat, potatoes) with a field size of about 0.9 ha each is described in detail for the years 1992-1997. The Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research Müncheberg was responsible for carrying out the experiment and collecting all the data. The aim of the experiment was to investigate the dynamics and balances of the water and matter cycles on a deluvial site (soil type: Sandtieflehmfahlerde-Braunerde according KA5 (Albic Luvisol according WRB); site type: D3a; dry bulk density (g cm-3): 1. 48 (0-30 cm), 1.50 (30-60 cm), 1.51 (60-90 cm); field capacity (Vol%): 39.5 (0-30 cm), 39.3 (30-60 cm), 39.2 (60-90 cm); soil quality index: 36) in North-East Germany as a basis for the validation of agro-ecosystem models. Due to the location of the experimental station in the moraine landscape and the glacier history of its formation, the deposition with large stones is relatively high. Hohenfinow is located in the transition zone between maritime and continental climate. The average annual precipitation sum in 1951-1980 is 547 mm, the average annual mean temperature in the period 1951-1980 is 8.16 °C and the vegetation start in average is the 27 March. The weather data on the Experimental Station were continuously recorded using an automatic meteorological station. The agro-technical measures were managed in accordance with the recommendations of the "Computer-supported Advisory System for Agro Management (COBB". The experiment was carried out without irrigation. The agro-technical measures were recorded completely. In the experiment, soil and crop data were collected several times per vegetation period or year at short intervals. The data set presented here contains various data on soil (water, nitrogen (nitrate, ammonium) - at three different depths up to 90 cm), on crop (ontogenesis, plant, ear and tiller numbers, plant height, above-ground, root and yield biomasses, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium contents in different biomass fractions), on daily weather (meteorological standard values) and on management measures (soil tillage, sowing, fertilisation, plant protection, harvest). The measured soil and plant values basis on six replicates. All measuring and bonitur methods used are briefly described.