Management of rice straw in rice-soybean succession in tropical lowland

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze rice straw alternative managements to maximize the rice-soybean succession yield and to quantify their impacts on soil properties. The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design with six replicates. Nine rice straw managements were evaluated: straw burning (M1), straw harvesting (M2), straw incorporation with disc harrow and two passes (M3) or three passes (M4) of leveling disc harrow, straw incorporation with kniferoller and soybean no-tillage (M5), straw incorporation with knife-roller and two passes (M6) or three passes (M7) of leveling disc harrow, straw incorporation with two passes of knife-roller and two passes (M8) or three passes (M9) of leveling disc harrow. Straw incorporation by knife-roller provided the lowest soil organic matter (SOM) contents due to slow mineralization of fresh straw incorporated shallow into the soil, although SOM increased in the surface layer related to the initial content. Rice-soybean succession yield was more affected by the physical than by the soil chemical properties. The straw incorporation with one pass of knife-roller and two passes of leveling disc harrow (M6) can replace the straw burning, without affecting the rice-soybean succession yield and soil physical quality, with a reduction in machinery operations, allowing early soil tillage.