In year 2, six rice fields similar to those used in year 1 relative to location, growth and harvestprocedure,wereusedinasplit-fielddesigntodivideeachricefieldintocontroland macerated sections. Immediately after harvest (i.e., by 1h), the half-fields to be macerated were processed with the same macerator used in year 1, except that the steel maceration rollerhadbeenreplacedwitharollerinwhichthegroovedepthandwidthhadbeenincreased from 3.13mm in year 1 to 6.26mm, thereby increasing groove opening fourfold from 9.8 to39.2mm2 inordertoincreaseextentofmaceration.Asinyear1,controlhalf-fieldswere notprocessed.Ricestrawinallfieldswasallowedtodryfor72handthenbaledandstacked separately by treatment.