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Implication of soil carbon changes on the greenhouse gas emissions of pickled ginger: a case study of crop rotation cultivation in Northern Thailand

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Abstract

As the global demand for ginger products continues to increase due to its medicinal and culinary properties, concerns arise regarding the loss of soil carbon (C) caused by agricultural management practices. It is crucial to understand the impact of these practices on soil C changes, especially in ginger rotation cropping systems. The goal of this study was to estimate the soil C changes resulting from management practices of ginger rotation cropping systems, and understand their influence on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of pickled ginger. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 1 method with modification was used to predict the soil C changes of two different 4-year rotation cycles, one of maize-ginger rotation relative to the reference of maize-pumpkin rotation, and the other of upland rice-ginger rotation relative to the reference of upland rice-vegetable rotation for 20 years of cultivation. From the results, ginger rotation cropping systems could lead to soil C changes, ranging from − 0.02 to 0.31 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, compared to − 2.02 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 when converting forests to ginger plantations. Consequently, the net GHG emissions of pickled ginger varied from − 6.71% to 0.00% for ginger rotations and 46.33% for converting forest to cultivate ginger. The waste disposal was the primary source of GHG emissions of pickled ginger. Sustainable waste management practices could potentially reduce GHG emissions by over 60%. Implementing certain practices, such as reduced tillage, keeping all crop residue on the field, and avoiding deforestation to ginger plantations, could increase soil C sequestration.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during the current study are available in the “Supplementary Information”.

Abbreviations

C:

Carbon

CF:

Carbon footprint

GHG:

Greenhouse gas

GWP:

Global warming potential

IPCC:

Intergovernmental panel on climate change

LCA:

Life cycle assessment

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

CH4 :

Methane

N2O:

Nitrous oxide

N:

Nitrogen

LMC:

Land management change

LUC:

Land use change

dLUC:

Direct land use change

iLUC:

Indirect land use change

MMMP:

Maize-maize-maize-pumpkin rotation

MMMG:

Maize-maize-maize-ginger rotation

UUUV:

Upland rice-upland rice-upland rice-vegetable rotation

UUUG:

Upland rice-upland rice-upland rice-ginger rotation

FTG:

Forest to ginger cultivation

FT:

Full tillage

RT:

Reduced tillage

NT:

No tillage

L:

Low level of crop residue input

M:

Medium level of crop residue input

H:

High level of crop residue input

FLU :

The relative carbon stock change factors for land use

FMG :

The relative carbon stock change factors for tillage practice

FI :

The relative carbon stock change factors for residue input

% SOC:

The percentage of soil organic carbon

SOCREF :

The reference carbon stock (Mg C ha−1)

Mg C ha− 1 :

Megagram carbon per hectare

PG:

Pickled ginger

NaCl:

Sodium chloride

SI:

Supplementary information

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Coordinating Center for Thai Government Science and Technology Scholarship Students (CSTS), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Agreement No. FDA-CO-2561-5762-TH. We wish to thank the managing director of Wang Thong Agri-Products Co., Ltd, Mr. Suebchai Chunsuttiwat for allowing us access to the manufactory, to Mr. Jatuphon Yunaitham for enabling us to collect the required data, regarding the production of pickled ginger, and to Mr. Tassanai Suksamran for his contribution in identifying ginger farmer groups and providing us with ginger farm maps. We would also like to thank Mr. Gregory Alan Smith from the Division of International Affairs and Language Development at Naresuan University, for editing the language of this manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordinating Center for Thai Government Science and Technology Scholarship Students (CSTS), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Agreement No. FDA-CO-2561–5762-TH.

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  1. Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand

    Suchada Ukaew, Weerawun Weerachaipichasgul, Noppawan Motong, Pamornrat Chantam & Wattanachai Yaowarat

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  1. Suchada Ukaew
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Correspondence to Weerawun Weerachaipichasgul.

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Ukaew, S., Weerachaipichasgul, W., Motong, N. et al. Implication of soil carbon changes on the greenhouse gas emissions of pickled ginger: a case study of crop rotation cultivation in Northern Thailand. Energ. Ecol. Environ. 8, 370–387 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-023-00282-9

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