Wheat straw decomposition in subtropical Australia .I. A comparison of 14C labeling and two weight loss methods for measuring decomposition

Three techniques for measuring straw decomposition in the field were compared. They were 14C labelling, weight loss from unconfined straw, and weight loss from straw held in mesh bags. The effect of these techniques on nitrogen transformations was also considered. The percent recovery by weight of straw held in mesh bags was greater than that which had been left unconfined in microplots, and also was greater than the percent recovery of 14C from 14C-labelled straw. This suggested that the mesh bag technique gave an underestimate of decomposition. Unconfined straw in microplots provided results in general agreement with 14C recoveries. Straw decomposition under the conditions of the different treatments had little effect on nitrogen transformations.

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Study of the Mechanics and Micro-Structure of Wheat Straw Returned to Soil in Relation to Different Tillage Methods

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10060894 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 894

Author(s):

Yanpeng Wang ◽

Adnan Abbas ◽

Xiaochan Wang ◽

Sijun Yang ◽

Morice R. O. Odhiambo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Wheat Straw ◽

Decomposition Rate ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Micro Structure ◽

Dynamic Changes ◽

Straw Decomposition ◽

Nylon Mesh ◽

Mesh Bag ◽

Tillage Methods

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different tillage methods, and their interaction on the dynamic changes of straw decomposition rate, mechanical properties, and micro-structure of the stalk. A nylon mesh bag technique was used. An obvious change was observed in the decomposition rate of straw, and its mechanical, and micro-structural properties. The decomposition rate of straw was increased in all tillage treatments. Specifically, it increased consistently in conventional and dry rotary tillage, and sharply in wet rotary tillage. Furthermore, for all tillage, the mechanical properties like shear and bending strengths decreased sharply while compressive strength first decreased linearly and then increased, whereas the micro-structure of wheat straw showed a fluctuating trend, i.e., it changed neither regularly nor consistently over time. Moreover, the micro-structure of the stalk explained the morphological changes to the straw that returned to the field, which may impact the mechanical properties. However, these changes could not explain the degradation trend of straw directly. The findings of the study could be used as a theoretical reference for the design of tillage and harvesting machinery keeping in view soil solidification and compaction dynamics.

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Wheat straw decomposition in subtropical Australia .II. Effect of straw placement on decomposition and recovery of added 15N urea

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr9870481 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 481 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

AL Cogle ◽

WM Strong ◽

PG Saffigna ◽

JN Ladd ◽

M Amato

Keyword(s):

Wheat Straw ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Soil Organisms ◽

Decomposition Rates ◽

Straw Decomposition ◽

Straw Management ◽

Biological Denitrification ◽

15N Urea ◽

Subtropical Australia ◽

Subtropical Environment

Decomposition of 14C-labelled wheat straw and its effect on fertilizer 15N transformations was studied in a subtropical environment over a 2 year period. The effect of straw management was also studied. Wheat straw incorporated in topsoil initially decomposed at a faster rate than wheat straw placed on the soil surface. This was due to the greater positional availability of straw carbon to soil organisms in incorporated straw. Later decomposition rates were similar. After 1.5 months, 44% of applied 15N-urea was recovered from incorporated straw treatments and 55% from surface-retained straw treatments. Losses were attributed to biological denitrification. The greater loss in incorporated straw treatments was suggested to be due to a greater availability of carbon to the denitrifying population compared with treatments where straw was retained on the surface. After 2 years, the recovery of 15N decreased to between 12 and 15% of that applied.

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Winter Wheat Straw Decomposition under Different Nitrogen Fertilizers

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11020083 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 83

Author(s):

Gabriela Mühlbachová ◽

Pavel Růžek ◽

Helena Kusá ◽

Radek Vavera ◽

Martin Káš

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Wheat Straw ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Mineral Nitrogen ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽

Pig Slurry ◽

Straw Decomposition ◽

Rainy Weather ◽

N Fertilisers

The climate changes and increased drought frequency still more frequent in recent periods bring challenges to management with wheat straw remaining in the field after harvest and to its decomposition. The field experiment carried out in 2017–2019 in the Czech Republic aimed to evaluate winter wheat straw decomposition under different organic and mineral nitrogen fertilizing (urea, pig slurry and digestate with and without inhibitors of nitrification (IN)). Treatment Straw 1 with fertilizers was incorporated in soil each year the first day of experiment. The Straw 2 was placed on soil surface at the same day as Straw 1 and incorporated together with fertilizers after 3 weeks. The Straw 1 decomposition in N treatments varied between 25.8–40.1% and in controls between 21.5–33.1% in 2017–2019. The Straw 2 decomposition varied between 26.3–51.3% in N treatments and in controls between 22.4–40.6%. Higher straw decomposition in 2019 was related to more rainy weather. The drought observed mainly in 2018 led to the decrease of straw decomposition and to the highest contents of residual mineral nitrogen in soils. The limited efficiency of N fertilisers on straw decomposition under drought showed a necessity of revision of current strategy of N treatments and reduction of N doses adequately according the actual weather conditions.

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Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Transformation of Soil Carbon and Nitrogen during Wheat Straw Decomposition

Soil Science Society of America Journal ◽

10.2136/sssaj1998.03615995006200040026x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 62 (4) ◽

pp. 1035-1041 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

D. Curtin ◽

F. Selles ◽

H. Wang ◽

V. O. Biederbeck ◽

C. A. Campbell

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Wheat Straw ◽

Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽

Straw Decomposition ◽

Carbon And Nitrogen ◽

Soil Carbon And Nitrogen

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Wheat Straw Decomposition Patterns and Control Factors Under Nitrogen Fertilization

Journal of soil science and plant nutrition ◽

10.1007/s42729-021-00592-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jin Liu ◽

Yangquanwei Zhong ◽

Xiaoyu Jia ◽

Weiming Yan ◽

Jia Cao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wheat Straw ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Straw Decomposition ◽

Control Factors ◽

And Control

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Rapeseed meal and maize gluten as supplements to straw in winter rations for spring calving suckler cows

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) ◽

10.1017/s0308229600019279 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 1990 ◽

pp. 147-147

Author(s):

Duncan Pullar ◽

Ian Rigby

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Wheat Straw ◽

Body Condition ◽

Rapeseed Meal ◽

Good Body Condition ◽

Grazing Period ◽

Cow Performance ◽

Feed Costs ◽

Summer Grazing

Winter feed represents a major cost in the production of suckled calves. By using the summer grazing period to ensure that cows are housed in good body condition winter feed can be restricted. The controlled weight loss of cows through the winter subsidises food inputs (WRIGHT, RUSSEL and HUNTER, 1986). At High Mowthorpe a mixture of barley and urea (BU) has proved to be a cheap and successful supplement to ad-lib wheat straw as a winter ration for suckler cows. Rapeseed meal (RSM) and maize gluten (MG) are possible alternatives to BU. RSM and MG have two potential advantages in that they may be cheaper to purchase and that they eliminate the need for milling and mixing facilities. Provided cow performance is not adversely affected RSM and MG could offer scope for simplifying ration preparation and reducing winter feed costs.

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Enhanced degradation of ammonium-pretreated wheat straw by lignocellulolytic Streptomyces spp.

Canadian Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1139/m92-168 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 38 (10) ◽

pp. 1022-1025 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Marina Basaglia ◽

Giuseppe Concheri ◽

Stefano Cardinali ◽

Maria B. Pasti-Grigsby ◽

Marco P. Nuti

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

Wheat Straw ◽

Lignin Degradation ◽

Cellulose Degradation ◽

Lignocellulose Degradation ◽

Cellulose Content ◽

Streptomyces Spp ◽

Initial Substrate ◽

Streptomyces Chromofuscus ◽

Pretreated Wheat Straw

Eleven actinomycetes, isolated from the gut of worker termites (Macrotermes, Armitermes, Microcerotermes, Odontotermes), were identified as Streptomyces chromofuscus, S. chromogenus, S. diastaticus, and S. rochei. Their ability to grow on natural lignocellulosic substrates was tested in solid state fermentation experiments using wheat straw (C/N = 49.8) as a sole carbon source. Weight loss was 4.7–20.9% of the initial substrate, after 5 weeks at 30 °C; lignin and cellulose content decreased 2.0–16.1 and 3.5–32.9%, respectively. When the 11 Streptomyces were grown on wheat straw pretreated with (NH4)HCO3 (C/N = 28.2), weight loss was 9.3–29.9% of the initial substrate, indicating an overall enhancement of lignocellulose degradation. Weight, lignin, and cellulose losses were enhanced when S. chromofuscus (strain A2 and A11) and S. rochei A4 were grown on pretreated wheat straw instead of the untreated substrate. With S. rochei A10 the weight loss and lignin degradation were enhanced, while cellulolysis was slightly depressed. Weight loss and cellulose degradation were both enhanced when the remaining strains were grown on pretreated wheat straw. In this case, lignin degradation was depressed (S. chromofuscus A6 and A8, S. diastaticus A12, S. rochei A14) or remained essentially the same (S. diastaticus A3 and S. chromogenus A7). Key words: Streptomyces, wheat straw, degradation, lignin, cellulose.

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