Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > SR > SR07085
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 46(2)

Decomposition rate of cereal straw as affected by soil placement

D. Curtin A B , G. S. Francis A and F. M. McCallum A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Limited, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch, New Zealand.

B Corresponding author. Email: curtind@crop.cri.nz

Australian Journal of Soil Research 46(2) 152-160 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR07085
Submitted: 8 June 2007  Accepted: 8 January 2008   Published: 18 March 2008

Abstract

Decomposition rates for crop residues have generally been estimated based on data obtained using buried litter bags. Because of limited soil–residue contact, the litter bag technique may not adequately simulate decomposition when residues are mixed through the soil. In field microplots, decomposition of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) straw (autumn-incorporated at a rate of 7 t/ha) mixed through the 0–0.20 m soil layer was compared with straw decomposition in fibreglass bags (4-mm mesh) buried at a depth of 0.20 m. A surface-placed straw treatment and a no-straw control were included for comparison. Emissions of CO2 were monitored from the incorporated straw treatments and undecomposed straw was recovered after 158 days (mean soil temperature during the trial period was 8°C at 0.10 m). Emissions of CO2 from the soil‐mixed straw treatment were generally greater than from the buried bag treatment in the 2 months following incorporation. Output of CO2-C over the first 73 days averaged 83 g/m2 for the soil-mixed straw treatment compared with 61 g/m2 for the litter bag treatment and 34 g/m2 for the no-straw control. Over the entire trial, CO2-C attributable to straw (CO2-C output from straw-treated plots minus CO2-C emitted from the control) was 66% greater for soil‐mixed straw than for litter bag straw, indicating that within soil placement can have a strong and persistent effect on straw decomposition. Straw type had a small but significant (P < 0.05) effect on CO2 output (barley > wheat). Straw mass loss during the trial averaged 66% for soil-mixed straw, 32% for litter bag straw, and 13% for straw placed on the soil surface. The low recovery of soil‐mixed straw is partly due to difficulty of extracting small (<2 mm) residue fragments from the soil; however, such fragments could legitimately be considered part of the soil organic matter. The results confirm that straw that is well distributed through the soil may decompose more rapidly than would be anticipated from litter bag measurements.

Additional keywords: crop residue decomposition, cereals, straw–soil contact, litter bag, CO2 evolution.


Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. We thank Sarah Glasson and Charles Wright for technical assistance, and Esther Meenken and Ruth Butler for statistical advice.


References


Akinremi OO, McGinn SM, McLean HDJ (1999) Effects of soil temperature on soil respiration in barley and fallow plots. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 79, 5–13. open url image1

Beare MH, Wilson PE, Fraser PM, Butler RC (2002) Management effects on barley straw decomposition, nitrogen release, and crop production. Soil Science Society of America Journal 66, 848–856. open url image1

Berg B , McClaugherty C (2003) ‘Plant litter: decomposition, humus formation, carbon sequestration.’ (Springer-Verlag: Berlin)

Bhupinderpal-Singh , Rengel Z, Bowden JW (2006) Carbon, nitrogen and sulphur cycling following incorporation of canola residue of different sizes into a nutrient-poor soil. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38, 32–42.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Bremer E, van Houtum W, van Kessel C (1991) Carbon dioxide evolution from wheat and lentil residues as affected by grinding, added nitrogen, and the absence of soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils 11, 221–227.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Campbell CA, Zentner RP (1993) Soil organic matter as influenced by crop rotations and fertilization. Soil Science Society of America Journal 57, 1034–1040. open url image1

Christensen BT (1985) Wheat and barley straw decomposition under field conditions: effect of soil type and plant cover on weight loss, nitrogen and potassium content. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 17, 691–697.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Christensen BT (1986) Barley straw decomposition under field conditions: effect of placement and initial nitrogen content on weight loss and nitrogen dynamics. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 18, 523–529.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Cogle AL, Saffigna PG, Strong WM (1989) Carbon transformations during wheat straw decomposition. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 21, 367–372.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Cogle AL, Saffigna PG, Strong WM, Ladd JN, Amato M (1987) Wheat straw decomposition in subtropical Australia. I. A comparison of 14C labelling and two weight-loss methods for measuring decomposition. Australian Journal of Soil Research 25, 473–479.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Curtin D, Selles F, Wang H, Campbell CA, Biederbeck VO (1998) Carbon dioxide emissions and transformation of soil carbon and nitrogen during wheat straw decomposition. Soil Science Society of America Journal 62, 1035–1041. open url image1

Devevre OC, Horwath WR (2000) Decomposition of rice straw and microbial carbon use efficiency under different soil temperatures and moistures. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 32, 1773–1785.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Douglas CLJ, Rickman RW (1992) Estimating crop residue decomposition from air temperature, initial nitrogen content, and residue placement. Soil Science Society of America Journal 56, 272–278. open url image1

Fliessbach A, Sarig S, Walenzik G, Steinberger Y, Martens R (1995) Mineralisation and assimilation processes of 14C-labelled shoots of Stipa capensis in a Negev desert soil. Applied Soil Ecology 2, 155–164.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Francis GS , Curtin D , Fraser P , Allen A , Tabley FJ , Butler R (1999) Postharvest residue management for cereals. Crop & Food Research Confidential Report 596, Christchurch, NZ.

Frey SD, Six J, Elliott ET (2003) Reciprocal transfer of carbon and nitrogen by decomposer fungi at the soil–litter interface. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 35, 1001–1004.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

GenStat (2005) ‘The guide to GenStat release 8—Parts 1–3.’ (VSN International: Oxford)

Heal OW , Anderson JM , Swift MJ (1997) Plant litter quality and decomposition: an historical overview. In ‘Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition’. (Eds G Cadisch, KE Giller) pp. 3–30. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)

Hewitt AE (1993) ‘New Zealand Soil Classification.’ (Manaaki-Whenua Press: Lincoln, NZ)

Horwath WR , Paul EA (1994) Microbial biomass. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Microbiological and biochemical properties’. (Ed. RW Weaver) pp. 753–773. (Soil Science Society of America: Madison, WI)

Jensen LS, Mueller T, Magid J, Nielsen NE (1997) Temporal variation of C and N mineralization, microbial biomass, and extractable organic pools in soil after oilseed rape straw incorporation in the field. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 29, 1043–1055.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Kanal A (1995) Effect of incorporation depth and soil climate on straw decomposition rate in a loamy Podzoluvisol. Biology and Fertility of Soils 20, 190–196.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Keeney RR , Nelson DW (1982) Nitrogen—inorganic forms. In ‘Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties’. (Eds AL Page et al.) pp. 643–698. (ASA and SSSA: Madison, WI)

Magid J, Jensen LS, Mueller T, Nielsen NE (1997a) Size-density fractionation for in situ measurements of rape straw decomposition—an alternative to the litterbag approach? Soil Biology & Biochemistry 29, 1125–1133.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Magid J , Mueller T , Jensen LS , Nielsen NE (1997b) Modeling the measurable: interpretation of field-scale CO2 and N-mineralization, soil microbial biomass and light fractions as indicators of oilseed rape, maize and barley straw decomposition. In ‘Driven by nature: plant litter quality and decomposition’. (Eds G Cadish, KE Giller) pp. 349–362. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)

Parr JF , Papendick RI (1978) Factors affecting the decomposition of crop residues by microorganisms. In ‘Crop residue management systems’. (Ed. WR Oschwald) pp. 101–129. (American Society of Agronomy: Madison, WI)

Parr JF, Reuszer HW (1959) Organic matter decomposition as influenced by oxygen level and method of application to soil. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 24, 213–216. open url image1

Paul EA , Clark FE (1989) ‘Soil microbiology and biochemistry.’ (Academic Press: San Diego, CA)

Summerell BA, Burgess LW (1989) Decomposition and chemical composition of cereal straw. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 21, 551–559.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) An extraction method for measuring microbial biomass C. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 19, 703–707.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Wang H, Curtin D, Jame YW, McConkey BG, Zhou HF (2001) Simulation of soil carbon dioxide flux during plant residue decomposition. Soil Science Society of America Journal 66, 1304–1310. open url image1

Witter E, Dahlin S (1995) Microbial utilization of 14C-labelled straw and 13C-labelled glucose in soils of contrasting pH and metal status. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 27, 1507–1516.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1