Effects of straw management on rice productivity in northern Uganda

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important crop regarding food security worldwide. However, straw management is an important practice with a pronounced effect on the subsequent production cycle. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of straw management on rice genotype productivity in northern Uganda. Randomized complete block arranged as split plots experiments with three replications were conducted in 2021 and 2022 seasons, with two treatments including rice straw incorporation (RRI) and removal (RRR) Two rice varieties; PR107 and NamChe 5 were included in the study. The results showed that grain yield was significantly influenced by variety (P<0.001). Rice straw incorporation and removal within a period of two seasons did not significantly affect grain yield. However, incorporation of rice straw in the soil increased soil organic matter (SOM%), soil organic carbon (SOC%) and nitrogen (N%) content of the soil during dry and wet seasons, respectively. Therefore, the implication of this finding is that straw management is important in determining soil quality and its effects on rice productivity.