Straw and early nitrogen fertilization affect soil properties and upland rice yield

ABSTRACT The presence of cover crop straw and early application of total N at sowing may provide significant changes in the microbial population, reflecting on the N dynamics in the soil and in upland rice plants. This study aimed at determining the effect of the early application of nitrogen doses as mineral N and microbial biomass carbon in the soil, as well as in the activity of nitrate reductase, and grain yield of upland rice plants cultivated under no-tillage system (NTS). A randomized blocks design, in a split-plot scheme, with four replications, was used. The treatments consisted of N doses (0 kg ha-1, 40 kg ha-1, 80 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1) and the presence or absence of U. brizantha cover straw. Maintaining the straw on the soil surface reduces the ammonium levels and increases the microbial biomass carbon content of the soil. The application of increasing doses of N in the soil provides increases in the levels of nitrate and ammonium in the soil up to 28 days after emergence. The activity of the nitrate reductase enzyme in the plants increases and the contents of ammonium and nitrate in the soil decrease with the crop development. The number of panicles and grain yield of upland rice increase with the increase of the nitrogen fertilization, but decrease in the presence of U. brizantha straw. Thus, it is recommend the use of early N fertilization in upland rice crop.