Placement effects on rice residue decomposition and nutrient dynamics on two soil types during wheat cropping in rice–wheat system in northwestern India

Abstract

Crop residues are important sources of organic matter and plant nutrients and known to affect soil quality. Tillage affects residue decomposition and nutrient cycling processes. A 2 year field study was aimed to investigate the decomposition and nutrient dynamics from surface-placed and incorporated rice (Oryza sativa L.) residue on two soil types using the nylon mesh bag technique over wheat cropping cycle in rice–wheat system in northwestern India. A single-pool first-order exponential decay function showed R2 larger than 0.9. Over the wheat growing cycle about 20% of buried rice residue and 50% of surface-placed residue remained undecomposed. Nitrogen exponential decay models were significant at P 80% was released by 40 days (680 DGD).