Intensive farming systems on irrigated rice fields tend to decline soil quality. An appropriate combination of fertilizer applications will provide essential nutrients for crops and affect the chemical properties of the soil. Objectives of the study were to investigate the effect of straw management and inorganic fertilizer (NPK) application on soil chemical properties of irrigated rice fields, including pH H ₂ O, soil organic carbon (SOC), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The field experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 10 treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised control (no treatment), fresh straw, decayed straw, straw compost, manure, NPK (Urea, SP-36, and KCl) + fresh straw, NPK + decayed straw, manure, NPK + straw compost, and NPK + manure. As a result, we could not find any difference for pH, SOC, and CEC at 45, 85, and 120 days after transplanting (DAT). However, our block, which represented the position of the terrace, showed a significant effect on all parameters except CEC at 120 DAT. This result indicates that pH, SOC, and CEC within one planting season would be more affected by the environments of the soil rather than the application of straw and inorganic fertilizer. Hence, there is a need to evaluate the long-term effect of straw management and NPK application to determine the effectiveness in changing pH, SOC, and CEC of irrigated rice fields.

The rainfed paddy farming system faces profound vulnerabilities due to daily climate non-stationarity. This mixed-methods study in Central Java analyses daily climate signals, total rice production, and household adaptation over 25 years (2001–2025). Moving beyond simple correlation, a Principal Component Regression model integrating five climate variables and three agronomic confounders reveals a profound climate–production decoupling. The composite climate index explains only 7.9% of total production variation, while non-climate factors account for 92.1%. Physical stability is maintained through asymmetric temporal scheduling and a distinct hierarchy of responses, employing active, planned adaptations alongside passive, reactive coping. However, quantitative household evaluation reveals this tonnage stability incurs severe hidden costs; the titip gabah post-harvest system maintains a high Yield Stability Index (0.93) but yields a negative Return on Storage (−7.15%), functioning as a risk-mitigation buffer rather than a profit-maximising tool. Furthermore, climate anomalies drive the progressive alienation of traditional ethnoclimatological knowledge, forcing a cognitive shift toward hybridised decision-making. To prevent passive coping from evolving into systemic maladaptation, we propose a stratified policy framework ranging from village-level knowledge integration and Subdistrict daily risk warnings to regency-level subsidies targeted at smallholders (<0.5 ha).