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Trade-off between productivity enhancement and global warming potential of rice and wheat in India

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems volume 86, pages 413–424 (2010)Cite this article

Abstract

Increased use of irrigation and nitrogen (N) in rice and wheat would increase productivity. It would also enhance the emission of greenhouse gases from soil causing global warming and climate change. This study quantified the trade-offs between increased production with N fertilizer and irrigation application and the global warming potential (GWP) in the major rice and wheat growing regions of India. The InfoCrop model was used to simulate yield and GWP of rice and wheat for five regions in the country for two climatic scenarios i.e., current (1990–1999) and future (2050), two irrigation practices i.e., supply-driven irrigation (SDI) and demand-driven irrigation (DDI), and 10 levels of N and organic manure. Rice and wheat productivity of India can be increased from their current productivity of 3.26 and 2.73 Mg ha−1 to 5.66 and 6.15 Mg ha−1, respectively with increased irrigation and N use. But this would increase the GWP by 27 and 40%, respectively. In spite of the increased GWP the carbon efficiency ratio (CER) would increase from the current values of 0.67 and 0.85 to 1.06 and 1.75 in rice and wheat, respectively. Thus there is a ‘win-win’ situation in terms of increased CER for increasing productivity. These situations need to be identified to harness the benefit with more rational management practices including efficient use of irrigation and N, the major drivers for yield and GWP.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful for the financial support provided by the ICAR Climate Network project in this study. We also thank Ms. Swaroopa, Division of Environmental Sciences, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi for her help in the simulation studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Sciences, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    A. Bhatia, H. Pathak, P. K. Aggarwal & N. Jain

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  1. A. Bhatia
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  2. H. Pathak
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  3. P. K. Aggarwal
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  4. N. Jain
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Correspondence to A. Bhatia.

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Bhatia, A., Pathak, H., Aggarwal, P.K. et al. Trade-off between productivity enhancement and global warming potential of rice and wheat in India. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 86, 413–424 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-009-9304-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-009-9304-5

Keywords

  • Food production
  • Global warming potential
  • Greenhouse gas
  • Rice
  • Wheat
  • Simulation modelling

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