IAEA-TECDOC-1354 Management of crop residues for sustainable crop production Results of a co-ordinated research project organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 1996–2001 May 2003 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Soil and Water Management & Crop Production Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria MANAGEMENT OF CROP RESIDUES FOR SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IAEA, VIENNA, 2003 IAEA-TECDOC-1354 ISBN 92–0–104203–5 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2003 Printed by the IAEA in Austria May 2003 FOREWORD It is well recognized that the organic matter content of a soil is a key attribute of fertility. The beneficial effects of organic matter on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil are well documented. Decline in organic matter content in intensive cropping systems is considered to be the major problem in maintaining agricultural productivity in the tropics. Additions of organic materials such as crop residues play an important role in the recycling of nutrients. More than one half of all dry matter in the global harvest is in the form of residues, and in most developing countries the amounts of nutrients in residues are often several orders of magnitude higher than the quantities applied as fertilizers. Thus, proper management of crop residues for the maintenance of soil fertility cannot be overstressed. This Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) focused on countries where crop production and soil fertility can be sustained by the better management of crop residues. As a result of recommendations formulated at a consultants meeting organized by the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, 4–7 September 1995, a Co-ordinated Research Project on “The Use of Isotope Techniques in Studies on the Management of Organic Matter and Nutrient Turnover for Increased Sustainable Agricultural Production and Environmental Preservation” was implemented between 1996 and 2001. The overall objective of the CRP was to increase crop production through better management of soil organic matter and nutrient inputs. Ten contract and five agreement holders from Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Viet Nam participated in the project. The first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) was held 7–11 October 1996 in Vienna. Subsequently, RCMs were held 20–24 April 1998 in Vienna, 6–10 September 1999 in Rabat, Morocco, and 26–30 March 2001 in Serdang, Malaysia. This technical document contains the manuscripts prepared by the project participants, and was edited by A.R.J. Eaglesham, Ithaca, New York. The IAEA officer responsible for this publication is G. Keerthisinghe of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. EDITORIAL NOTE This publication has been prepared from the original material as submitted by the authors. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the IAEA, the governments of the nominating Member States or the nominating organizations. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights. CONTENTS Summary ..................................................................................................................................................1 Recycling of crop residues for sustainable crop production in a maize-groundnut rotation system....................................................................................................... 3 A.B. Rosenani, A.R. Mubarak, S. Zauyah A simple model to define the quantity and the dynamics of nitrogen application based on organic matter turnover using nuclear techniques..............................................................23 D. Dourado-Neto, D.A. Teruel, K. Reichardt, O.O.S. Bacchi, C. van Kessel, D. Powlson Fertilizer nitrogen recovery under different tillage treatments and cropping sequences in a Vertisol in central Mexico..........................................................................................................39 O.A. Grageda-Cabrera, M. Mora, R.J.Z. Castellanos, R.F. Follet, J.J. Peña-Cabriales Recovery of fertilizer crop-residue 15N and effects on N fertilization in three cropping systems under Mediterranean conditions..............................................................57 M. Ismaili, L.L. Ichir, N. Alami, K. Elabbadi Quantifying below-ground nitrogen of legumes: optimizing procedures for 15N shoot-labelling..........71 D.F. Khan, M.B. Peoples, D.F. Herridge Nitrogen dynamics and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency in rice following straw incorporation and winter flooding...........................................................................81 A.J. Eagle, J.A. Bird, J.E. Hill, W.R. Horwath, C. van Kessel Options for soil organic carbon maintenance under intensive cropping in the West-African savanna..............................................................................................99 J. Diels, O. Lyasse, N. Sanginga, B. Vanlauwe, K. Aihou, E.N.O. Iwuafor, R. Merckx, J. Deckers Management of organic matter to enhance productivity of major upland crops of South Viet Nam...........................................................................................111 Phan Thi Cong The influence of straw incorporation and soil type on the losses of soil inorganic nitrogen and its use by winter wheat.............................................................................. 117 P.R. Poulton, I. Cracuin, D.S. Powlson, D.S. Jenkinson Studies of organic matter turnover and nutrient buildup in a Bangladesh soil for sustainable agriculture.....................................................................................131 S.M. Rahman, M.E. Haque, S. Ahmed, M.A. Wohab Mia The fate of organic matter in a sugarcane system in Brazil..................................................................149 K. Reichardt, D. Dourado-Neto, L.C. Timm, M.V. Basanta, J.L. Favarin, D.A. Teruel, J.D. Costa, O.O.S. Bacchi, T.T. Tominaga, C.C. Cerri, M.C. Piccolo, P.C.O. Trivelin, J.C.M. Oliveira, F.A.M. Cassaro Composting rice straw in semi-arid conditions....................................................................................171 O.P. Rupela, S. Gopalakrishnan, B.S. Sidhu, V. Beri Recycling of crop residues for sustainable crop production in a wheat-peanut rotation system..........................................................................................................179 M.S.A. Safwat, M.A. Sherif, O.A.O. Saad, E.A. Abdel-Bary, M.A. El-Mohandes Impact of organic matter on selected soil properties and nitrogen uptake in a corn-mung bean cropping system.............................................................................................193 U.R. Sangakkara Management of organic matter and nutrient turnover for increased, sustainable agricultural production and environmental preservation in Chinese rice fields..............................207 Jia Yu Wang, Sheng Jia Wang, Yi Chen, Ji Zi Zheng Nitrogen use and efficiency in a rotation with and without incorporation of crop residues.........................................................................................................221 E. Zagal, I. Vidal, N. Rodríguez, C. Belmar, G. Hofmann List of Participants ...............................................................................................................................239 Recent Publications of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division on plant and soil water relations and nutrient uptake..........................................................................................................................243 SUMMARY Since ancient times, farmers have recognized the importance of organic matter inputs to enhance crop yields. Organic matter contributes to plant growth through beneficial effects on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, including (i) provision of a carbon and energy source for soil microbes, (ii) improvement of soil aggregation, thus reducing the hazard of erosion, (iii) retaining of nutrients and water, (iv) provision of nutrients through decomposition, and (v) reduction of soil compaction. The amount of soil organic matter is controlled by the balance between additions of plant and animal materials and losses by decomposition. Both additions and losses are directly affected by management practices. For example, replacing perennial vegetation with short- season vegetation and the burning of crop residues result in a reduction in organic inputs to the soil, while application of animal and crop residues, use of cover crops, and reduced tillage increase inputs or reduce losses and hence help to maintain or increase soil organic matter content. Under tropical conditions, organic matter is rapidly lost through accelerated oxidation due to hot and moist conditions. Rapid losses