Articles | Volume 12, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-871-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-871-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
14 Sep 2026
Original research article |
| 14 Sep 2026
| 14 Sep 2026
Mechanisms of enhancing soil fertility without obviously elevating global warming potential under an optimal rice straw incorporation rate in a paddy soil
Mengxue Zhang
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
College of Resource and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Rujia Liao
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
College of Resource and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Wenzhao Zhang
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
Cheng Fang
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
Simon Guerrero-Cruz
Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, Asian Institute of Technology, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
András Táncsics
Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter K. u. 1., 2100, Gödöllő, Hungary
Baoli Zhu
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
Wenxue Wei
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
Rong Sheng
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Taoyuan Station of Agro-Ecology Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, China
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Short summary
To return straw or not to return? We demonstrate that rice straw incorporation at half of the harvest enhanced soil fertility without additional global warming potential (GWP). This minimal increase in GWP relied on the highest nosZII abundance and the lowest nirS/nosZII ratio, and the CH4 production being just above the soil CH4 holding capacity. We offer a viable strategy to scientifically manage rice straw for climate-smart sustainable rice agriculture.
To return straw or not to return? We demonstrate that rice straw incorporation at half of the...
