Straw Decomposition

When straw is plowed into moist warm soil, the straw almost immediately begins to decompose. Billions of microorganisms that are always living in fertile soils use the straw for energy and mineral nutrients that they require for growth and reproduction. Nitrogen is one of the nutrients and it is frequently in short supply in straw. During straw decomposition the microorganisms use the nitrogen and conserve it very efficiently while much of the carbon in the straw is used and given off as carbon dioxide. Under conditions of extreme nitrogen deficiency, decomposition may be slowed from lack of nitrogen