Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) Yields and Soil Chemical Properties Were Improved by Row-Surface Straw Mulching

The rational use of a large amount of straw produced from grain fields is an important issue in major grain-producing areas. On the other hand, due to the long-term preferential applications of chemical fertilizers, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, soil fertility and organic matter levels have decreased, and the soil physical-chemical properties have deteriorated in protected agricultural facilities. In this study, a wet crop, taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) and the straw of two main crops [wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.)] were selected to investigate the effect of row-surface straw mulching on taro yields and soil chemical properties. The results showed that nearly all wheat straw and 74% of rice straw decomposed in one season under wet conditions. Straw mulching significantly increased the taro yield, increased the levels of SOC, soil rapid available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and improved the activities of sucrase and phosphatase in the soil. We conclude that row-surface straw mulching t of wet crops could not only improve the soil properties and crop yields in the protected facility but could also consume considerable straw (wheat: 14,250 kg/ha, rice: 111,00 kg/ha), and the method applied in other areas with similar conditions.