The Long-Term Fertilization Trials in Halle (Saale)

With the “eternal rye” experiment, laid out by Julius Kühn in 1878, the Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg has the second oldest long-term fertilization trial of the world after Rothamstedt (UK). In addition, four more long-term fertilization experiments as well as one soil development trial exist in Halle, all founded by Karl Schmalfuß in 1948/49. Wolfgang Merbach and Annette Deubel summarize the most important results and draw conclusions for the continuation of these internationally important experiments.