After harvesting irrigated rice, the straw produced can be managed in different ways, and these may affect the availability of soil nutrients. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different types of soil and straw management, carried out after the rice is harvested, on the levels of mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in the soil,. The treatments were arranged in randomized blocks with plot evaluations split up in time, and corresponding to seven different types of soil management: [1] water at a constant depth, without straw, [2] straw incorporated into the preparation of dry soil immediately after harvest, [3] straw incorporated into the preparation of flooded soil immediately after harvest, [4] straw incorporated into the preparation of dry soil during July only, [5] straw incorporated into the preparation of flooded soil immediately after harvest, and then harrowing the area with dry soil in July, [6] straw incorporated into the preparation of dry soil immediately after harvest, and harrowing the area with dry soil in July, [7] no incorporated straw and no water. Evaluations were made on five different soil-collection dates, with four replications. Keeping straw on the soil surface produced the greatest variations in the concentrations of mineral nitrogen for the period studied, however, regardlesss of the post-harvest rice-straw managn the levels of mineral nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in the soil by the end of the season.
Oryza sativa; Rate of decomposition; Tillage
