Effect of Incorporation of Wheat Straw and Urea into Soil on Biomass Nitrogen and Nitrogen-Supplying Characteristics of Paddy Soil

Pot experiments were carried out to study the effect of incorporation of wheat straw and/ or urea into soil on biomass nitrogen and mineral nitrogen and its relation to the growth and yield of rice.The combined appliation of wheat straw and urea increased much more biomass nitrogen in soil than the application of wheat straw or urea alone and consequently increased the immobilization of urea nitrogen added and reduced the loss of urea nitrogen.An adequate nitrogen-supplying process to rice plant could be obtained if C/ N ratio of the material added was about 20.The three yield components of rice were affected significantly by the status of nitrogen supplying.More than 30mg N/ kg soil of mineral nitrogen at effective tillering stage,panicle initiation stage and filling stage should be maintained in order to get high rice yield,though the criteria varied with the different experimental conditions.     

地膜覆盖的玉米地的土壤空气状况

The effects of plastic mulching on soil aeration at the soil depth of 0-100 cm were studied in a corn field. The results indicated that the CO₂ concentration of unmulched soil in the 0-100 cm layer ranged from 0.001 to 0.016 m³/m^3, and that of mulched soil 0.002 to 0.018m³/m³, about 32.39% higher than the former on the average. Such a CO₂ concentration in the soil air is still suitable for crop growth. The O₂ concentration was inversely correlated with CO₂ concentration in the soil air (unmulching r=-0.92^**, mulching r=-0.79^*). O₂ concentration ranged from 0.11 to 0.17 m³/m³ in the mulched soil and 0.13 to 0.18 m³/m³ in the unmulched soil. By contrast, N₂ concentration in soil air remained relatively steady, with no difference between the two treatments. The relationship between the soil respiratory intensity and the depth of a soil layer appeared to be a power function. At the layer of 0-20 cm, the soil respiration intensity in the mulched soil was obviously higher than that in the unmulched. Plastic mulching could also affect soil structure. In comparison with the unmulched soil, the content of >0.25 mm aggregate and 0.05-0.001 mm microaggregate in the mulched soil was reduced by 82.1% and 35.8%, respectively; the soil total porosity, gaseous phase rate and aeration porosity in the depth of 10-20 cm were reduced by 2.85%, 19.89% and 26.54% respectively, but contrary at the depth of 0-10 cm.     

淹水条件下FACE处理的水稻以及小麦秸秆的分解及产物

Winter wheat and rice straw produced under ambient and elevated CO2 in a China rice-wheat rotation free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment was mixed with a paddy soil at a rate of 10 g kg-1 (air-dried), and the mixture was incubated under flooded conditions at 25 ℃ to examine the differences in decomposition as well as the products of crop residues produced under elevated CO2. Results showed that the C/N ratio and the amount of soluble fraction in the amended rice straw grown under elevated CO2 (FR) were 9.8% and 73.1% greater, and the cellulose and lignin were 16.0% and 9.9% lesser than those of the amended rice straw grown under ambient CO2 (AR), respectively. Compared with those of the AR treatment, the CO2-C and CH4-C emissions in the FR treatment for 25 d were increased by 7.9% and 25.0%, respectively; a higher ratio of CH4 to CO2 emissions induced by straw in the FR treatment was also observed. In contrast, in the treatments with winter wheat straw, the CO2-C and CH4-C productions, the ratio of straw-induced CH4 to CO2 emissions, and the straw composition were not significantly affected by elevated CO2, except for an 8.0% decrease in total N and a 9.7% increase in C/N ratio in the wheat straw grown under elevated CO2. Correlation analysis showed that the net CO2-C and CH4-C emissions from straw and the ratio of straw-induced CH4 to CO2 emissions were all exponentially related to the amount of soluble fraction in the amended straw (P < 0.05). These indicated that under flooded conditions, the turnover and CH4 emission from crop straw incorporated into soil were dependent on the effect of elevated CO2 on straw composition, and varied with crop species. Incorporation of rice straw grown under elevated CO2 would stimulate CH4 emission from flooded rice fields, whereas winter wheat straw grown under elevated CO2 had no effect on CH4 emission.     

氮及相关的酶活性对小麦根际施肥的反应

In the present experiment,wheat seedlings(Trticucum aestivum L.)were grown on a purple soil with various fertilizer treatments in order to investigate the responses of nitrogen and related enzyme activities in the rhizosphere,The results revealed the increments of both organic matter and total N in the soil with the proximity to the growing roots,especially in treatment of supplying pig manure in combination with chemical fertilizer,suggesting that they could ome from root and microorganism exudation which could be intensified by inorganic-organic fertiliztion,being of benefit to improving the physical and bilogical envi-ronment in the rhizosphere of wheat.Much more inorganic N was observed in the fertilized soils surrounding wheat roots than in the CK treatment ,indicating ,the improvement of crop N supply in the rhizosphere of wheat by fertilization. The activities of invertase,urease and protease in the root zone were greatly enhanced as compared to those in the other parts of soil except that the urease activities were similar in the rhizospher and nonrhi-zosphere of the CK and pig manure treatments,indicating that invertase and protese could be produced by growing roots and rhizosphere microorganisms,in contrast to urease which could be stimulated by urea,Also,significant increment of chemical fertilizer combined with pig manure,suggested that fertilization not only accelerated the renewal of organic matter bu also enhanced bioavailability of organic N in that soil zone .This could be the reason why the total amount of inorganic N available for plants was increased more obviously in the rhizosphere of wheat of the fertilizaton treatments than in taht of the CK treatment.     

土壤－水分－植物体系中铅和镉的交互作用及其机制: Ⅱ. 根际中Pb-Cd的交互作用

The interaction of Pb-Cd can be observed not only in the uptake process of elements by plants and in their influence on the growth,but also in rhizosphere.The changes in extractable Cd and Pb concentrations in the rhizosphere soil of rice plants ,root exudates from wheat and wheat plant and their complexing capacity,with Pa and Cd were investigated under different Pb and Cd treatments.Results showed that the concentration of extractable Cd in the rhizosphere of rice in red soil was markedly increased by Pb-Cd interaction,It increased by 56% in the treatment with Pb and Cd added against that in the treatment with only Cd added in soil . The considerable differences in both composition and amount of root exudate from wheat and rice were found among different treatments.Pb and Cd might be complexed by root exudates ,The concentrations of free Pb and Cd in the solution were increased markedly by adding root exudate from wheat and decreased by that from rice due to Pd-Cd interaction.The distribution patterns of Pb and Cd in roots were affected by Pb-Cd interaction,which accelerated transport of Pb into internal tissue and retarded accumulation of Cd in external tissue.     

小麦和油菜Mn有效性差异的机制

By solution culture experiment,three wheat genotypes(Triticum aestivum,L.) and two oilseed rape genotypes (Brassica napus L.)differing in Mn efficiency under Mn-deficient conditions were used to study mechanisms of the difference in Mn efficiency between wheat and oilseed rape,The results showed that there were significant differences in the abilities of MnIV reduction and acidification in root rhizosphere between the two species.Compared with wheatl,oilseed rape had much higher reducing capacity and intensity of rhizosphere acidification under Mn-deficient conditions.Moreover,the higher ratio of functional leaves Mn/old leaves Mn in oilseed rape than in wheat was also an imprtant factor for the different Mn efficiencies between the two species.     

Effect of Potassium Nutrition of Different Varieties of Rice on the Redox Status in Microzone Rhizosphere Soils

Being divided into three groups-strong,moderate and weak-according to the different kinetic parameters (Fmax,km,Cmin) of potassium uptake by crops,21 cultivars of rice have been studied to find out the relationships between their potassium nutrition and the oxidation-reduction status in the rhizosphere soils. Results show that,with no application of K fertilizer,there were higher contents of active reducing substances and ferrous iron in rhizosphere soils planted with cultivars,such as Zhongguo 91,week in absorbing potassium than in soils cropped with cultivars,Shanyou 64,stronger in absorbing potassium.As a result of K application,however,these toxic substances were decreased appreciably in the soil,particularly in the root zone where weakly K-absorbing sultivars were growing,and the parameter of soil redox (pH pE) was increased,the most striking example of this being found in the rhizosphere soil where the more strongly K-absorbing sultivars were growing.On and close to the root surface in soils where rice plants were supplied with potassium fertilizer,rather more iron oxide had been accumulated compared with rice receiving no potash,and even greater amounts of red iron oxide precipitated on the rice root in neutral paddy soils.As shown by the concentration distribution of active reducing substances and ferrous iron in a microzone of the profile,the redox range of rice roots supplied with potassium may extend as far as several centimeters from the root surface.It can thus be seen that potassium nutrition exerts its effect first on the morphological properties of rice roots and their exudation of oxygen,then on the content of soluble oxygen and the count and species of oxygen-consuming microbes in the rhizosphere soil,and finally on the redox status of the soil.     

利用Illumina高通量测序对复合重金属污染下根际和非根际稻田土壤细菌的研究

There is an increasing concern about rice (Oryza sativa L.) soil microbiomes under the influence of mixed heavy metal contamination.We used the high-throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing approach to explore the bacterial diversity and community composition of soils in four paddy fields,exhibiting four degrees of mixed heavy metal (Cd,Pb and Zn) pollution,and examined the effects of these metals on the bacterial communities.Our results showed that up to 2 104 to 4 359 bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found in the bulk and rhizosphere soils of the paddy fields,with the dominant bacterial phyla (greater than 1％ of the overall community) including Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria,Firmicutes,Acidobacteria,Gemmatimonadetes,Chloroflexi,Bacteroidetes and Nitrospirae.A number of rare and candidate bacterial groups were also detected,and Saprospirales,HOC36,SC-I-84 and Anaerospora were rarely detected in rice paddy soils.Venn diagram analysis showed that 174 bacterial OTUs were shared among the bulk soils with four pollution degrees.Rice rhizosphere soils displayed higher bacterial diversity indices (ACE and Chao 1) and more unique OTUs than bulk soils.Total Cd and Zn in the soils were significantly negatively correlated with ACE and Chao 1,respectively,and the Mantel test suggested that total Pb,total Zn,pH,total nitrogen and total phosphorus significantly affected the community structure.Overall,these results provided baseline data for the bacterial communities in bulk and rhizosphere soils of paddy fields contaminated with mixed heavy metals.     

Phosphate Solubilizing Ability and Phylogenetic Diversity of Bacteria from P-Rich Soils Around Dianchi Lake Drainage Area of China

The phylogenetic diversity of phosphate solubilizing bacteria(PSB)distributed in P-rich soils in the Dianchi Lake drainage area of China was characterized,and the tricalcium phosphate(TCP)solubilizing activities of isolated PSB were determined.Among 1 328 bacteria isolated from 100 P-rich soil samples,377 isolates(28.39%of the total)that exhibited TCP solubilization activity were taken as PSB.These PSB showed different abilities to solubilize TCP,with the concentrations of solubilized P in bacterial cultures varying from 33.48 to 69.63 mg L^-1.A total of 123 PSB isolates,with relatively high TCP solubilization activity(>54.00 mg L^-1),were submitted for restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP)analysis,which revealed 32 unique RFLP patterns.Based on these patterns,62 representative isolates,one to three from each RFLP pattern,were seffected for 16S rRNA sequencing.Phylogenetic analysis placed the 123 PSB into three bacterial phyla,namely Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria and Firmicutes.Members of Proteobacteria were the dominant PSB,where 107 isolates represented by 26 RFLP patterns were associated with the genera of Burkholderia,Pseudomonas,Acinetobacter,Enterobacter,Pantoea,Serratia,Klebsiella,Leclercia,Raoultella and Cedecea.Firmicutes were the subdominant group,in which 13 isolates were affiliated with the genera of Bacillus and Brevibacterium.The remaining 3 isolates were identified as three species of the genus Arthrobacter.This research extends the knowledge on PSB in P-rich soils and broadens the spectrum of PSB for the development of environmentally friendly biophosphate fertilizers.     

钙盐诱导下土壤锰和铁的释放及其对胡椒的生物有效性

Releases of manganese and iron ions from an albic soil (Albic-Udic Luvisol), a yellow-red soil (Hap-Udic Ferrisol) and a yellow-brown soil (Arp-Udic Luvisol) induced by calcium salt addition and their bioavailability to pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) were studied in a pot experiment. Addition of Ca(NO₃)₂ decreased soil pH and increased both exchangeable and DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid)-extractable Mn and Fe in soils. Meanwhile, total Mn accumulation in the shoots of Capsicum frutescens L. on the salt-treated soils increased significantly (P< 0.01) compared with the control, suggesting that salt addition to soil induced Mn toxicity in Capsicum frutescens L. Although exchangeable and DTPA-extractable Fe increased also in the salt-treated soils, Fe uptake by the shoots of Capsicum frutescens L. decreased. The effect of added salts in soils on dry matter weight of pepper varied with the soil characteristics, showing different buffer capacities of the soils for salt toxicity in an order of yellow-brown soil > albic soil > yellow-red soil. Fe/Mn ratio in shoots of Capsicum frutescens L. decreased with increasing salt addition for all the soils, which was ascribed to the antagonistic effect of Mn on Fe accumulation. The ratio of Fe/Mn in the tissue was a better indicator of the appearance of Mn toxicity symptoms than Mn concentration alone.     

稻秸秆覆盖对麦田细菌种群数量及小麦纹枯病发生的影响

采用稀释平板计数法分析了秸杆覆盖麦田和未秸杆覆盖麦田的细菌数量变化,并系统调查了小麦纹枯病的发生。结果表明,秸杆覆盖麦田总细菌及荧光假单胞菌数量比未秸秆覆盖麦田有明显的提高;稻秸杆覆盖有增加麦田总细菌和荧光假单胞菌的效应,前期高于后期;秸杆覆盖田块和未秸杆覆盖田块小麦根际拮抗菌所占比例无显著差异,90%以上的荧光假单胞菌对小麦纹枯病菌具拮抗能力;秸杆覆盖田小麦纹枯病发生比未秸杆覆盖田有明显降低。     

Suppression of wheat take-all and ophiobolus patch by fluorescent pseudomonads from a fusarium-suppressive soil

Fluorescent pseudomonads isolated from a soil suppressing Fusarium wilt significantly reduced take-all (Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici) in wheat and Ophiobolus patch (G. graminis var. avenae) in Agrostis turfgrass. The bacteria were mixed into a conducive soil at a concentration of 10⁷ colony-forming units (cfu)g^?1 soil at sowing. There were significantly fewer (P ? 0.05) diseased wheat roots in the treatments with the bacteria and pathogen than in those with the pathogen alone. Dry weights of the tops of wheat and Agrostis turfgrass were significantly greater (P ? 0.01) in treatments inoculated with the bacteria in the presence of the pathogens compared to controls with the pathogens alone. Dry weights of the tops of plants from treatments inoculated with the bacteria alone were not significantly different to those of healthy wheat non-inoculated with the bacteria, showing that the fluorescent pseudomonads did not stimulate plant growth. At the end of the experiments, the bacterial isolates (genetically-marked with rifampicin resistance) were recovered from wheat roots and rhizosphere soil at concentrations of 10⁵–10⁷cfu g^?1 fresh weight of roots or oven-dried rhizosphere soil.Many of the fluorescent pseudomonads and some non-fluorescent pseudomonads showed in vitro antibiosis on quarter-strength potato dextrose agar (QPDA) against the pathogens. However, there was no correlation between in vitro antibiosis on agar plates and suppression of disease in pot experiments. Further, while some isolates of G. graminis var. tritici and var. avenae were inhibited by certain bacterial isolates, other isolates of the same fungus were not similarly inhibited by the same isolates of bacteria. Most of the fluorescent pseudomonads that produced inhibition zones (>5mm) against G. graminis var. tritici on QPDA did not do so on King's medium B, where fluorescent siderophores were formed. In vitro antibiosis is, therefore, a poor criterion for selecting effective bacterial antagonists of the wheat take-all fungus. All of the fluorescent pseudomonads tested produced siderophores in low-Fe media while a non-fluorescent pseudomonad and the fungal pathogens did not produce siderophores of comparable activity. The addition of 500 μg FeEDTA g^?1 with a lower stability constant did not. The evidence suggests that iron competition at the rhizoplane or in the rhizosphere is one mechanism of suppression.     

覆盖模式及小麦根系对土壤微生物区系的影响

采用平皿分离培养法研究了5种栽培模式和小麦根系对土壤细菌、真菌及放线菌数量的影响。连续2年的定位测定结果表明:覆膜有利于土壤微生物数量增加。5种栽培模式中,小麦根区、根外土壤细菌数量均以覆膜模式下最高,分别为116.8×106cfu·g-1和86.7×106cfu·g-1;土壤真菌和放线菌数量均以垄沟覆膜(垄上覆膜、垄沟播种)模式下最高,分别为3.0×103cfu·g-1、1.4×103cfu·g-1和18.9×105cfu·g-1、19.7×105cfu·g-1。不同模式下小麦根系对土壤细菌和真菌数量影响较大,表现为根区高于根外;而根系对放线菌影响较小,只有补灌和覆膜2种模式为根区高于根外。多重比较结果显示,覆膜与其他模式之间细菌数量差异极显著,根区土壤细菌和真菌数量与根外存在显著差异。覆盖和根系能大幅度增加根区细菌、真菌和放线菌的数量,强化小麦根区根外细菌和真菌的数量差异。     

麦稻两熟地区不同埋深对还田秸秆腐解进程的影响

为探讨稻麦两熟地区还田秸秆的腐解进程,用尼龙网袋法研究了麦稻秸秆不同埋深(0、7、14.cm)对还田秸秆腐解及C/N比的影响。结果表明,在麦田,埋深14.cm的秸秆腐解速度最快,覆盖在表层较慢。稻田由于有水层的作用和高温高湿的环境,秸秆腐解比麦田快,覆盖在表层比埋入土中的略慢。麦季稻秸覆盖还田一季后秸秆残留率在60%左右,埋入土中的残留率在40%左右;稻季麦秸覆盖还田一季后秸秆残留率在25%左右,而埋在土中的残留率在20%左右。随着还田秸秆的腐解,秸秆含氮量逐渐增加,全碳含量下降,秸秆C/N比降低。麦季稻秸覆盖C/N比较高,而稻季麦秸覆盖的C/N比较低。一季后麦田稻秸的C/N比平均在30左右,稻田麦秸在15以上,比土壤腐殖质的C/N比高,说明种植一季作物后,还田的秸秆尚未完成腐殖化过程。     

Pseudomonads as a factor in the growth of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Pseudomonads were isolated from the roots of winter wheat plants. Plants produced from direct-drilling of seeds into plots where crop residues had been burnt were larger and appeared healthier than those from plots where crop residues remained. Tests showed that roots from the plants direct-drilled into the plots where crop residues had been burnt were colonized by fewer pseudomonads which could inhibit plant growth than those from plants produced from plots where crop residues remained. The tests were performed by inoculating wheat seedlings with individual bacterial isolates and measuring root growth. When several wheat cultivars were bioassayed against each of two of the inhibitory pseudomonads, they differed greatly in susceptibility to the adverse effects of the bacteria.     

Tillage and plastic mulch effects on soil properties and growth and yield of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) on an ultisol in southeastern Nigeria

Protected cultivation, mainly represented by plastic-film mulching, has greatly improved crop production worldwide since the 1950s. However, despite its widespread use in tropical USA, Europe and China, its use in sub-Saharan Africa is not widespread. A field experiment was conducted using cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) to evaluate the effects of two tillage systems (tilled and no-till) and plastic-film mulch (black and clear plastic-film mulch) on soil properties and cocoyam growth and yield in 2003 and 2004 planting seasons on a Typic paleudult in southeastern Nigeria. The experiment comprised six treatments and was laid out in the field using randomized complete block design replicated three times. Results showed that 70–80% of the corms emerged 7–8 days (21 days after planting [DAP]) earlier in both tilled and no-till plastic-film mulched plots when compared to the unmulched plots. At later stages of crop development, the plants in the tilled black plastic-film mulched plots were taller by 61–67% than those in the unmulched no-till plots, which had the lowest plant height (27–30 cm). At 98 DAP, there were no significant treatment differences in leaf area index (LAI) between tilled and no-till mulched plots with LAI of 15.5–19.8. However, LAI was reduced in both unmulched plots by 35–54% when compared to the mulched plots. On the average soil temperature was higher in plastic-film mulched plots than that under plots without mulch by about 2 °C. Results show significantly lower soil bulk density (between 1.10 and 1.26 Mg m⁻³) in both tilled clear and black plastic-film mulched plots when compared to the corresponding no-till clear or black plastic-film mulched plots (1.40–1.45 Mg m⁻³). For the two seasons studied volumetric water content (VWC) in tilled black plastic-film mulched plots were significantly higher than VWC in other mulched plots by between 10 and 38% in 2003 and between 17 and 30% in 2004. At harvest (270 DAP) the highest corm yield was obtained in tilled black plastic mulched plots (29.1 Mg ha⁻¹). This was higher (P = 0.05) than yields obtained in no-till, no mulch plots by 72%. Yields were also higher in tilled black plastic mulched plots when compared to tilled clear plastic mulched plots, no-till black plastic mulched plots and no-till clear plastic mulched plots by 29, 47 and 59%, respectively. These findings suggest that plastic mulched plots provide a better soil environment for cocoyam than unmulched plots and that tilled mulched plots especially tilled black plastic mulched plots provide superior edaphic environment for cocoyam when compared to other treatments used.     

灌溉条件下秸秆覆盖麦田耗水特性研究

试验于2 0 0 2 2 0 0 3年在中科院禹城综合试验站完成,研究了秸秆覆盖和灌溉对冬小麦农田耗水特性的影响,结果表明:秸秆覆盖能够增强灌溉水的入渗能力。随着灌溉量的增加,秸秆覆盖减少深层底墒水(SMBS)的消耗。灌溉显著增加冬小麦的耗水强度,返青后,覆盖处理冬小麦的耗水强度大于不覆盖处理。在播种到返青期间,覆盖比不覆盖处理平均少蒸散5 2 2 5mm。返青后,覆盖处理的阶段耗水量大于不覆盖处理,但覆盖与不覆盖处理间的总耗水量差异不大     

秸秆覆盖麦田水分动态及水分利用效率研究

试验研究表明,秸秆覆盖可改变作物耗水规律。即前期能抑制土壤蒸发,减少土壤水分无效消耗;后期则增强植株蒸腾,促进干物质积累,使农田耗水由物理过程向生物学过程转化,有利于提高产量和作物水分利用效率。不同覆盖期和不同土壤水分条件下覆盖效果不同,土壤含水量55%～70%的麦田覆盖效果最佳,覆盖时间以冬小麦进入越冬期停止生长时覆盖为宜。     

Interactive effect of tillage depth and mulch on soil temperature, productivity and water use pattern of rainfed barley (Hordium vulgare L.)

Soil porosity and organic matter content influence the hydrology, thermal status and productivity of agricultural soils. Shape, size and continuity of soil pores are determined by tillage practices. Thus appropriate tillage and mulch management can conserve residual soil moisture during the post rainy season. This can play a key role in enhancing productivity under the rainfed ecosystem of subhumid region in eastern India. A field study was carried out on a fine loamy soil from 1993–1994 to 1995–1996. Two tillage treatments were conventional ploughing (150 mm depth) and shallow ploughing (90 mm) depth. Each tillage practice was tested with three mulch management viz., no mulch, soil dust mulch and rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw mulch. Soil organic carbon, bulk density, moisture retentivity, soil temperature with productivity and water use pattern of barley (Hordium vulgare L.) were measured.Reduction in ploughing depth resulted in nominal increase in profile (0.0–1.2 m) moisture status, yield, and soil thermal status at 14:00 and water use efficiency (WUE). However, it decreased the magnitude of soil temperature in the morning (07:00). Straw mulch conserved 19–21 mm of moisture in the profile (1.2 m) over the unmulched condition. Both soil dust and rice straw mulching elevated soil thermal status at 07:00 as compared to unmulched condition, but this trend was reversed at 14:00. Straw mulching significantly increased grain yield and WUE over soil dust mulch and unmulched condition. Impact of straw mulch was more pronounced under shallow ploughing depth. Shallow tillage with rice straw mulching is recommended to the farmers to obtain higher level of yield and water use efficiency.     

Soil erosion on Alfisols in Western Nigeria: II. Effects of mulch rates

The effects of four rates of straw mulching on runoff and soil loss were compared with those of no-tillage treatments under natural rainfall conditions using field runoff plots of 25 × 4 m established at 1, 5, 10 and 15% slopes on the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) research site near Ibadan, Nigeria. The four rates of straw mulching were 0, 2, 4 and 6 t/ha. The mean annual runoff was 50, 10, 4 and 2% of the total annual rainfall for mulch rates of 0, 2, 4 and 6 t/ha, respectively. Runoff from unmulched treatments was not related to slope. Runoff loss from no-till treatments was only 2% of the rain received. The mean soil losses for the rainstorms greater than 25 mm were 143, 16, 2 and 0.4 kg/ha per mm of rain received for mulched rates of 0, 2, 4 and 6 t/ha, respectively. The soil loss declined exponentially with increasing mulch rate with exponents ranging from approximately ?0.3 to ?0.7. The soil losses from the no-till plots were equal to those from plots that received mulch at the rate of 6 t/ha. Soil erodibility was significantly influenced by time after clearing, with maximum K reached two to three years after forest removal. The nutrient loss in runoff and eroded soil was significant only for unmulched treatments. The maximum annual loss of NO₃-N in runoff was about 15 kg/ha. The maximum annual loss of total N in eroded soil from unmulched plots was about 180 kg/ha, that of P, 5 kg/ha, and that of K, about 14 kg/ha.