Summary
This field trial in a semi-arid region with high soil organic matter demonstrates that straw incorporation significantly enhances soil health index and ecosystem multifunctionality in the short term, with an optimal incorporation rate of 9–13.5 t hm⁻². The improvements are driven by enhanced carbon and nutrient cycling, microbial activity, and aggregate stability, though straw incorporation reduced soil pH. Ecosystem multifunctionality showed a dose-dependent response, plateauing at higher incorporation rates.
UK applicability
Findings may be relevant to UK arable systems, particularly in regions with lower soil organic matter or where straw burning is currently practised. However, the UK's cooler, wetter climate and different soil type distributions mean optimal incorporation rates and seasonal dynamics may differ; further localised trials would be needed to establish appropriate recommendations for UK conditions.
Key measures
Soil health index (SHI); ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF); soil pH; structural stability; total nutrients; available nutrients; microbial biomass; enzyme activity; seasonal dynamics of SHI and EMF
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil health index (SHI) and ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) in response to varying straw incorporation rates (1.125–13.5 t hm⁻²). Key soil properties assessed included pH, structural stability, total and available nutrients, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity.
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