The influence of 31 years of stubble burning on the carbon storage as well of chemical composition of soil organic matter (SOM) was studied in agricultural soil of a long-term field experiment. Additionally, the potential of black carbon (BC) produced by burning of harvesting residues, to be lost by horizontal as well as vertical transport was quantified during a rainfall simulation experiment. Our results show that 31 years of stubbie burning as a regular agricultural practice did not change carbon storage or the chemical composition of SOM. This is most likely due to a small quantitative input of highly stable aromatic carbon into the soil. A significant portion of BC deposited on the soil surface by the fire may have been exported from the site as shown during the rainfall simulation experiment.