Study

Crop residue management effects on organic matter in paddy soils — the lignin component

  • Published source details Bierke A., Kaiser K. & Guggenberger G. (2008) Crop residue management effects on organic matter in paddy soils — the lignin component. Geoderma, 146, 48-57.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Amend the soil with fresh plant material or crop remains

Action Link
Soil Fertility
  1. Amend the soil with fresh plant material or crop remains

    A replicated experiment from 1990 to 2005 on silty-clay and sandy-silt in China and the Philippines (Bierke and Kaiser, 2008) found 41% higher soil organic carbon and total nitrogen at Changsha when residue was incorporated, compared to a 16% increase when residue was removed. There were no changes in soil organic carbon or total nitrogen at Nanjing or Los Baños. At Changsha there were three treatments: control (no fertilizer), nitrogen (applied at 265 kg N/ha), and nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium (NPK – applied at 265, 35, and 80 kg N, P, K/ha respectively). All plots were intercropped with Chinese milk vetch Astragalus sinicus. Within each treatment were two sub-treatments: residue removed, and residue incorporated (harvested rice Oryza sativa crop remains). At Nanjing, two treatments were applied to a rice-wheat Triticum aestivum rotation: residue removed and residue incorporated (wheat crop remains). All plots received 200 kg N/ha. Los Baños treatments included: continuous flooding, three week soil drying, soil drying plus tillage, and alternate wetting/drying of rice. Within these were ‘residue removed’ and ‘residue incorporated’ treatments. Soils were sampled between rice crops or just after wheat sowing. Plot sizes were not specified.

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