During the early years of straw incorporation the impact on most soils will be a "locking up" of nutrients with an increase in disease carry over on the straw.

The competition from degrading straw can mean difficult or poor seedbed preparation coupled with difficult drilling.

In a continuous grain growing situation Yields are reduced during the first few years (the transitional period) until the microbial balance of the soil adjusts to the new demands placed upon it

Minute holes are created in the rigid structure of the straw. These allow more entry points for the soil bacteria responsible for the degradation of the material. The cellulose and glucose content of the straw provides an abundance of food for the bacteria which multiply rapidly (using nitrogen in the process) and quickly consume the food.

When the food source is exhausted the bacteria die releasing the energy & nutrients back into the soil in a form which is readily available to the growing crop.

At this stage (4 to 6 weeks after incorporation) only the lignin (outer shell) content of the straw remains. This may have still retained its original shape but will break down slowly over the year to add humus to the soil improving its structure without competition to the growing crop.