Dry direct-seeding of rice for mitigating greenhouse gas emission: field experimentation and simulation

Abstract

Conventional puddled transplanted rice (TPR) is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG), particularly methane, causing global warming. Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is a feasible alternative to mitigate methane emission, besides saving water and labor. A 2-year field experiment was carried out to quantify GHG mitigation and water- and labor-saving potentials of the DSR crop compared to TPR in three villages in Jalandhar district of Punjab, India. The InfoRCT simulation model was used to calculate the emission of CO₂ besides CH₄ and N₂O in different districts of Punjab, India. Total global warming potential (GWP) in transplanted rice in various districts of Punjab ranged from 2.0 to 4.6 t CO₂ eq. ha⁻¹ and in the DSR it ranged from 1.3 to 2.9 t CO₂ eq. ha⁻¹. Extrapolation analysis showed that if the entire area under TPR in the state is converted to DSR, the GWP will be reduced by 33 %, and if 50 % area is converted to DSR the GWP will be reduced by 16.6 % of the current emission. The DSR crop saved 3–4 irrigations compared to the transplanted rice without any yield penalty. Human labor use also reduced to 45 % and tractor use to 58 % in the DSR compared to TPR.