Rice Straw Management for Soil Improvement and Increasing Rice Yield

Abstract

In Thailand, annuarl rice straw production was about 35 million tons. The major plant nutrient contents, namely N.P.K were approximately 212,220-159,165-1,278,762 tons N-P2O5K2O respectively. The estmated value compared with chemical fertilizer was about 20}000 million baht. Burning to dispose rice straw is considered to be the major rice straw management in Thailand. This farmers' practice gave the same results as removing rice straw and stubble. the appropiated management of rice straw is important. For an example, continuously incorporated rice straw 2}000 kg/rai for 3-4 years increased rice yield as similar as recommended chemical nitrogen dificiency due to nitrogen immobilization. because C:N of rice straw is wide, thus, rice straw compost gave similar sesult to incorporated rice straw, except that the compost does not cause immobilization problem, because of i's narrow C:N.