This dataset contains the grain and straw yields of winter rye (t/ha) of the “Eternal Rye” long-term experiment in the years 1879-2018, the sowing and harvest dates and information about the fertilization treatments. Grain yield data is given at 86 % dry matter. In 1959 no harvest data is available. The field trial started in 1878. It originally consisted of five plots with different fertilizer applications. In all plots each year winter rye was grown, treatments are not replicated. The treatments include mineral N, PK, and NPK fertilization, organic fertilization with farmyard manure (FM_I), and an unfertilized plot (U). In 1893 an additional plot with reduced organic fertilization was added (FM_II). Here, fertilization was terminated after the harvest of 1953. The plot is unfertilized ever since. In 1991 a combined fertilization of mineral NPK and farmyard manure (NPK_FM) replaced the N plot, and the nitrogen amount in the NPK plot was increased from 40 to 60 kg N/ha/a. In 1961 the plots were divided into three sections, in one of which the winter rye monoculture was continued. The data set includes data of the large plots until the separation and the section with continued winter rye monoculture hereafter. The trial is managed under conventional farming methods, with chemical and mechanical pest control as needed.