Rapid Decomposition of Brittle Rice Straw Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Shifts Carbon Allocation in Paddy Soils
Journal
Agronomy
Journal Volume
16
Journal Issue
11
ISSN
2073-4395
Date Issued
2026-05-23
Author(s)
Dela Cruz, Jerickson Manuel
Lin, Cheng-Hsien
Wang, Chang-Sheng
Liu, Yu-Ting
Yeh, Kuo-Chen
Kung, Yu-Yu
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw-return can improve soil carbon (C) sequestration, but its adoption in intensive rice systems is limited by short fallow periods (<30 days), which likely lead to incomplete straw decomposition and increase methane emissions under continuous flooding (CF). Brittle rice straw, characterized by lower recalcitrant fiber content and rapid decomposition, may overcome this constraint; however, its environmental performance under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) remains unclear, such as broader C allocation. This 150-day microcosm study evaluated the interaction of straw type (brittle vs. non-brittle) and water management (CF vs. AWD) on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, dissolved C production, soil C storage, and aggregate formation in two contrasting paddy soils (sandy loam vs. silty clay loam). Compared with non-brittle straw, brittle straw returns reduced net GHG emissions by approximately 28.4% under CF and 39.6% under AWD. The combination of brittle straw with AWD produced the lowest net GHG emissions (0.61 kg CO2-eq m−2), indicating that intermittent oxygen input effectively mitigated the early decomposition-related emission risk. Brittle straw also increased the concentrations of dissolved inorganic C by 14.2% and nitrate by 64.3% under AWD, suggesting enhanced mineralization and potential inorganic C stabilization. Regardless of straw type, straw return improved soil C stocks by 27.3% in sandy loam and 29.6% in silty clay loam, while also promoting macroaggregate formation. Overall, this study demonstrated that coupling brittle rice straw with AWD can reduce GHG emissions while maintaining soil C benefits, offering a promising residue management strategy for intensive rice cultivation. © 2026 by the authors.
Subjects
aggregate stability
brittle straw alternate wetting and drying
carbon allocation
dissolved carbon
net greenhouse gas emissions
soil carbon
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Description
Article number 1035
Type
journal article