Abstract
Straw removal for bioelectricity, cellulosic ethanol, or other bio-products has become a common practice in Brazilian sugarcane areas, but long-term effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) and yield are unknown. Our objective was to quantify tillage intensity and removal levels on SOC stocks and sugarcane yield on contrasting edaphoclimatic conditions in Brazil. Conventional tillage-CT and reduced tillage-RT coupled with three straw removal levels (none—NR; moderate—MR; total—TR) were combined to create six treatment combinations: CTNR, CTMR, CTTR, RTNR, RTMR, and RTTR, respectively. Sugarcane yield was measured annually and soil samples to a depth of 40 cm were collected and analyzed before and after 5 years of treatments. Neither tillage practices nor straw removal significantly affected sugarcane yield on sandy loam soil, but CTMR, CTTR, and RTTR showed substantial yield reductions on clayey soil. SOC stocks for RTNR increased by as much as 1.64 Mg ha −1 year −1 on clayey soil, while CTMR and CTTR favored depletion of SOC stocks on both soils. Overall, each Mg of straw returned to the soil increased SOC stock by 95 kg ha −1 for clayey soil under both tillage practices and 55 kg ha −1 for sandy loam under the CT system. Furthermore, straw removal decreased microbial biomass C and b-glucosidase activity. These findings suggest that the adoption of RT attenuates the adverse impacts of straw removal on SOC stocks while ensuring sugarcane yields for a more sustainable bioenergy production in Brazil.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Tillage and straw removal did not significantly affect sugarcane yield on sandy loam soil.
- Taxon
- sugarcanee0
- Treatment
- tillage practices nor straw removale0
- Outcome
- sugarcane yielde0
- Setting
- sandy loam soile0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Verbatim
e0“Neither tillage practices nor straw removal significantly affected sugarcane yield on sandy loam soil”
Claim · model-written summary
CTMR reduced sugarcane yield on clayey soil.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“CTMR, CTTR, and RTTR showed substantial yield reductions on clayey soil.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
CTTR reduced sugarcane yield on clayey soil.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“CTMR, CTTR, and RTTR showed substantial yield reductions on clayey soil.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
RTTR reduced sugarcane yield on clayey soil.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“CTMR, CTTR, and RTTR showed substantial yield reductions on clayey soil.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
RTNR increased soil carbon stock by as much as 1.64 Mg per hectare per year on clayey soil.
- Taxon
- sugarcanet0
- Treatment
- RTNRe0
- Outcome
- SOC stockse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 1.64 Mg ha −1 year −1e0
- Setting
- clayey soile0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“SOC stocks for RTNR increased by as much as 1.64 Mg ha −1 year −1 on clayey soil”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
CTMR depleted soil carbon stocks on both soils.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“CTMR and CTTR favored depletion of SOC stocks on both soils.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
CTTR depleted soil carbon stocks on both soils.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“CTMR and CTTR favored depletion of SOC stocks on both soils.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Each Mg of returned straw increased soil carbon by 95 kg per hectare on clayey soil.
Verbatim
e0“each Mg of straw returned to the soil increased SOC stock by 95 kg ha −1 for clayey soil under both tillage practices”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Each Mg of returned straw increased soil carbon by 55 kg per hectare on sandy loam under conventional tillage.
Verbatim
e0“each Mg of straw returned to the soil increased SOC stock by 95 kg ha −1 for clayey soil under both tillage practices and 55 kg ha −1 for sandy loam under the CT system.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw removal decreased microbial biomass carbon and beta glucosidase activity.
- Taxon
- sugarcanet0
- Treatment
- straw removale0
- Outcome
- microbial biomass C and b-glucosidase activitye0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“straw removal decreased microbial biomass C and b-glucosidase activity.”
t0“sugarcane yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend reduced tillage to attenuate straw removal effects on soil carbon while maintaining sugarcane yield.
Verbatim
e0“adoption of RT attenuates the adverse impacts of straw removal on SOC stocks while ensuring sugarcane yields”
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