Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Contribution of winter cover crop amendments on global warming potential in rice paddy soil during cultivation

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims

Winter cover crop cultivation during the fallow season has been strongly recommended in mono-rice paddy soil to improve soil quality, but its impact in increasing the greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions during rice cultivation when applied as green manure has not been extensively studied. In order to recommend a preferable cover crop which can increase soil productivity and suppress GHG emission impact in paddy soil, the effect of winter cover crop addition on rice yield and total global warming potential (GWP) was studied during rice cultivation.

Methods

Two cover crops (Chinese milk vetch, Astragalus sinicus L., hereafter vetch, and rye, Secale cerealis) having different carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios were cultivated during the rice fallow season. The fresh above-ground biomasses of vetch [25 Mg fresh weight (FW) ha−1, moisture content (MC) 86.9 %, C/N ratio 14.8] and rye (29 Mg rye FW ha−1, MC 78.0 %, C/N ratio 64.3) were incorporated as green manure 1 week before rice transplanting (NPK + vetch, and NPK + rye). The NPK treatment was installed for comparison as the control. During the rice cultivation, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) gases were collected simultaneously once a week using the closed-chamber method, and carbon dioxide (CO2) flux was estimated using the soil C balance analysis. Total GWP impact was calculated as CO2 equivalents by multiplying the seasonal CH4, CO2, and N2O fluxes by 25, 1, and 298, respectively.

Results

Methane mainly covered 79–81 % of the total GWP, followed by CO2 (14–17 %), but the N2O contribution was very small (2–5 %) regardless of the treatment. Seasonal CH4 fluxes significantly increased to 61 and 122 % by vetch and rye additions, respectively, compared to that of the NPK treatment. Similarly, the estimated seasonal CO2 fluxes increased at about 197 and 266 % in the vetch and rye treatments, respectively, compared with the NPK control plots. Based on these results, the total GWP increased to 163 and 221 % with vetch and rye applications, respectively, over the control treatment. Rice productivity was significantly increased with the application of green manure due to nutrient supply; however, vetch was more effective. Total GWP per grain yield was similar with the vetch (low C/N ratio) and NPK treatments, but significantly increased with the rye (high C/N ratio) application, mainly due to its higher CH4 emission characteristic and lower rice productivity increase.

Conclusions

A low C/N ratio cover crop, such as vetch, may be a more desirable green manure to reduce total GWP per grain yield and to improve rice productivity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adhya TK, Rath AK, Gupta PK, Rao VR, Das SN, Parida KM, Parashar DC, Sethunathan S (1994) Methane emission from flooded rice fields under irrigated conditions. Biol Fertil Soils 18:245–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aulakh MS, Khera TS, Doran JW (2000) Mineralization and denitrification in upland, nearly-saturated and flooded subtropical soil. II. Effect of organic varying in N contents and C:N ratio. Biol Fertil Soils 31:168–174

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aulakh MS, Wassmann R, Bueno C, Kreuzwieser J, Rennenberg H (2001) Characterization of root exudates at different growth stages of ten rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars. Plant Biol 3:139–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bai Q, Guttinger A, Zelles L (2000) Characterization of microbial consortium in paddy soil by phospholipid analysis. Microb Ecol 39:273–281

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouwman AF (1996) Direct emissions of nitrous oxide from agricultural soils. Nutr Cycle Agroecosyst 46:53–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown HA, Waggner-Riddle C, Thurtell GW (2000) Nitrous oxide flux from solid dry manure in storage as affected by water content and redox potential. J Environ Qual 29:630–638

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burney JA, Davisc SJ, Lobell DB (2010) Greenhouse gas mitigation by agricultural intensification. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107:12052–12057

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butterbach-Bahl K, Papen H, Rennenberg H (1997) Impact of gas transport through rice cultivars on methane emission from rice paddy fields. Plant Cell Environ 20:1175–1183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chidthaisong A, Obata H, Watanabe I (1999) Methane formation and substrate utilization in anaerobic rice soils as affected by fertilization. Soil Biol Biochem 31:135–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cho JY, Han KW, Choi JK (2000) Balance of nitrogen and phosphorus in a paddy field of Central Korea. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 46(2):343–354

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conrad R (1999) Contribution of hydrogen to methane production and control of hydrogen concetration in methanogenic soils and sediments. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 28:193–202

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denef K, Roobroeck D, Mihiri CW, Lootens P, Boecks P (2009) Microbial community composition and rhizo deposit-carbon assimilation in differently managed temperate grassland soils. Soil Biol Biochem 41:144–153

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • RDA (Rural Development Administration, Korea) (1995) Standard Investigation Methods for Agriculture Experiment, Suwon

  • Dubey SK (2005) Microbial ecology of methane emission in rice agroecosystem: a review. Appl Ecol Env Res 3(2):1–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Elfstrand S, Hedlund K, Martensson A (2007) Soil enzyme activities, microbial community composition and function after 47 years of continuous green manuring. Appl Soil Ecol 35:610–621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feller C, Francois C, Villemin G, Portal JM, Tontain F, Morel JL (1991) Nature des matieres organiques associees aux fractions argileuses d’un sol ferrallitique. CR Acad Sci Paris 312:1491–1497

    Google Scholar 

  • Flessa H, Beese F (1995) Effects of sugarbeet residues on soil redox potential and nitrous oxide emission. Soil Sci Soc Am J 59:1044–1051

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frostegard A, Baath E, Tunlid A (1993) Shift in the structure of soil microbial communities in limed forests as revealed by phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Soil Biol Biochem 25:723–730

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frostegard A, Tunlid A, Baath E (1996) Changes in microbial community structure during long-term incubation in two soils experimentally contaminated with metals. Soil Biol Biochem 28:55–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia JL, Patel BCK, Ollivier B (2000) Taxonomic, Phylogenetic and ecological diversity of methanogenic archaeal. Anaerobe 6:205–226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghani A, Dexter M, Sarathchandra U, Perrott KW, Singleon P (2000) Assessment of extractable hot-water carbon as an indicator of soil quality on soils under long-term pastoral cropping, market gardening and native vegetation. Proceedings of Australian and New Zealand Second Joint Soils Conference. Lincoln, New Zealand, pp 119–120

  • Ghani A, Dexter M, Perott KW (2003) Hot water-extractable carbon in soil: a sensitive measurement for determining impacts of fertilization, grazing, and cultivation. Soil Biol Biochem 35:1231–1243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Godfray HCJ, Pretty J, Thomas SM, Warham EJ, Beddington JR (2011) Linking policy on climate and food. Science 331:1013–1014

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes J, Bayer C, de Souza Costa F, de Cassia Piccolo M, Zanata JA, Vieira FCB, Six J (2009) Soil nitrous oxide emissions in a long-term cover crops-based rotations under subtropical climate. Soil Till Res 106:36–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granli T, Bockman OC (1994) Nitrous oxide from agriculture. Norw J Agric Sci Suppl 12:7–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Green C, Scow K (2000) Analysis of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) to characterize microbial communities in aquifers. Hydrogeol J 8:126–141

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han KW, Cho JY, Son JG (1998) Losses of chemical components by infiltration water during the rice cultivation at silt moam paddy soil. Korean J Environ Agric 17(3):268–273

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007) Technical summary. In: Solomon S, Qin D, Manning M, Chen Z, Marquis M, Averyt KB, Tignor M, Miller HL (eds) Climate change: the physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group 1 to the Forth Assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Kar S, Ghildyal BP (1975) Rice root growth in relation to size, quantity and rigidity of pores. Plant Soil 43:627–637

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall C, Silva S, Kelly V (2001) Carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of particulate organic matter in from large rive r systems across the United States. Hydrol Process 15:1301–1346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim SY, Lee BJ, Kim JH, Oh SH, Hwang WH, Hwang DY, Ahn JW, Oh BJ, Ku YC (2007) The timing for incorporating Chinese milk vetch plant into soil for natural reseeding in the southern part of Korean peninsula. Korean J Crop Sci 52:127

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim GY, Ko BG, Jeong HC, Roh KA, Shim KM, Lee JT, Lee DB, Hong SY, Kwon SI (2009) Estimating carbon fixation of 14 crops in Korea. Korean J Environ Agric 42(6):460–466 (in Korean)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirschmann H, Witter E (1992) Composition of fresh aerobic and anaerobic from animal dung. Bioresour Technol 40:137–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klose S, Acosta-Martinez V, Ajwa HA (2006) Microbial community composition and enzyme activities in a sandy loam soil after fumigation with methyl bromide or alternative biocides. Soil Biol Biochem 38:1243–1254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kreye C, Dittert K, Zheng X, Zhang X, Lin S, Tao H (2007) Fluxes of methane and nitrous oxide in water-saving rice production in north China. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 77:293–304

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kruger M, Eller G, Conrad R, Frenzel P (2002) Seasonal variation in pathways of CH4 production and CH4 oxidation in rice fields determined by stable isotope and specific inhibitors. Glob Change Biol 8:265–280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurganova I, Lopes de Gerenyu V (2010) Effect of the temperature and moisture on the N2O emission from some arable soils. Eurasian Soil Sci 43(8):919–928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladha J, Pareek RP, Beeker M (1992) Stem-nodulating legume – Rhizobium symbiosis and its agronomic use in lowland rice. Adv Soil Sci 20:148–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Lal R (2002) Soil carbon dynamics in cropland and rangeland. Environ Pollut 116:353–362

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee JH, Hopmans JW, Rolston DE, Baer SG, Six J (2009) Determining soil carbon stock changes: Simple bulk density corrections fail. Agric Ecosyst Environ 134(3–4):251–256

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemke RL, Izaurralde RC, Nyborg M, Solberg ED (1999) Tillage and N source influence soil-emitted nitrous oxide in the Alberta Parkland region. Can J Soil Sci 79:15–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li C, Salas W, DeAngelo B, Rose S (2006) Assessing alternative for mitigating net greenhouse gas emissions and increasing yields from rice production in China over the next twenty years. J Environ Qual 35:1554–1565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linguist B, van Groenigen KJ, Adviento-Borbe MA, Pittelkow C, van Kessel C (2012) An agronomic assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from major cereal crops. Glob Change Biol 18(1): 194-209

    Google Scholar 

  • Maggiotto SR, Webb JA, Waggner-Riddle C, Thurtell GW (2000) Nitrous and nitrogen oxide emissions from turfgrass receiving different forms of nitrogen fertilizer. J Environ Qual 29:621–630

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marx MC, Wood M, Jarvis SC (2001) A microplate fluorimetric assay for the study of enzyme diversity in soils. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1633–1640

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLean W (1930) The carbon-nitrogen ratio of soil organic matter. J Agric Sci 20:348–354

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mosier AR, Halvorson AD, Reule CA, Liu XJ (2006) Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity in irrigated cropping systems in Northeastern Colorado. J Environ Qual 35:1584–1598

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Na CS, Lee YH, Hong SH, Jang CS, Kang BH, Lee JK, Kim TH, Kim W (2007) Change of seed quality of Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) during seed developmental stages. Korean J Crop Sci 52:363–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Naser HM, Nagata O, Tamura S (2007) Methane emissions from five paddy fields with different amounts of rice straw application in Central Hokkaido, Japan. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 53:95–101

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neue HU, Roger PA (1993) Rice agriculture; factors affecting emissions. In: Khalil MAK (ed) Atmospheric methane: Sources sinks and role in global change. Springer, Berlin, pp 254–298

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nishimura S, Sawamoto T, Akiyama H, Sudo S, Yagi K (2004) Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a paddy field with Japanese conventional water management and fertilizer application. Glob Biogeochem Cy 18:GB2017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nishimura S, Akiyama H, Sudo S, Fumoto T, Cheng W, Yagi K (2011) Combined emission of CH4 and N2O from a paddy field was reduced by preceding upland crop cultivation. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 57:167–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nouchi I, Mariko S, Aoki K (1990) Mechanism of methane transport from the rhizosphere to the atmosphere through rice plants. Plant Physiol 94:59–66

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olsson PA (1999) Signature fatty acids provide tools for determination of the distribution and interactions of mycorrhizal fungi in soil. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 29:303–310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pusatjapong W, Kerdchoechuen O, Towprayoon S (2003) Glucose, fructose, and sucrose accumulation in root and root exudates of rice cv. Supandari 1. KMUTT Res Develop J 26(3):339–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin Y, Liu S, Guo Y, Liu Q, Zou J (2010) Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from organic and conventional rice cropping systems in Southeast China. Biol Fertil Soils 46:825–834

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rath AK, Swain B, Ramakrishnan B, Panda D, Adhya TK, Rao VR, Sethunathan N (1999) Influence of fertilizer management and water regime on methane emission from rice fields. Agric Ecosyst Environ 76:99–107

    Google Scholar 

  • RDA (Rural Development Administration, Korea) (1988) Methods of soil chemical analysis. National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Suwon

    Google Scholar 

  • RDA (Rural Development Administration, Korea) (1999) Fertilization standard of crop plants. National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Suwon

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson GP, Paul E, Harwood R (2000) Greenhouse gases in intensive agriculture: Contributions of individual gases to the radiative forcing of the atmosphere. Science 289:1922–1925

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rolston DE (1986) Gas flux. In: Klute A (ed) Methods of soil analysis part 1. 2nd edn. Agron Monogr 9. ASA and SSSA, Madison, pp 1103–1119

  • Rosecrance R, McCarty G, Shelton D, Teasdale J (2000) Denitrification and N mineralization from hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) and rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop monocultures and biocultures. Plant Soil 227:283–290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (2003) System for Windows Release 9.1. SAS Institute, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Shang Q, Yang X, Gao C, Wu P, Liu J, Xu Y, Shen Q, Zou J, Guo S (2010) Net annual global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity in Chinese double rice-cropping systems: a 3-year field measurement in long-term fertilizer experiments. Glob Change Biol 17(6):2196–2210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh J, Khud CS, Singh B (1991) Efficient management of leguminous green manure in wetland rice. Adv Agron 45:135–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S, Singh JS, Kashyap AK (1999) Methane flux from irrigated rice fields in relation to crop growth and N-fertilization. Soil Biol Biochem 31:1219–1228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha SK (1995) Global methane emission from rice paddies: excellent methodology but poor extrapolation. Curr Sci 68:643–646

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparling G, Vojvodic-Vukovic M, Schipper LA (1998) Hot water soluble C as a simple measure of labile organic matter: the relationship with microbial biomass C. Soil Biol Biochem 30:1469–1472

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiong Z, Zing G, Tsuruta H, Shen G, Shi S, Su L (2002) Field study on nitrous oxide emissions from upland cropping systems in China. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 48(4):539–546

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yavitt JB, Lang GE (1990) Methane production in contrasting wetland sites: response to organo-chemical components of peat and to sulfate reduction. Geomicrobiol J 8:27–46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zelles L, Bai QY (1993) Fractionation of fatty acids derived from soil lipids by solid phase extraction and their quantitative analysis by GC-MS. Soil Biol Biochem 25:495–507

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YS, Lee GJ, Joo JH, Lee JT, Ahn JH, Park CS (2007) Effect of winter rye cultivation to improve soil fertility and crop production in alpine upland in Korea. Korean J Environ Agric 26(4):300–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JE, Ouyang Y, Huang ZX (2008) Characterization of Nitrous Oxide Emission from Rice-Duck Farming System in South China. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 54:167–172

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zinder SH (1993) Physiological ecology of methanogens. In: Ferry JG (ed) Methanogens: Ecology, physiology, biochemistry and genetics. Chapman and Hall, New York, pp 128–206

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (SSAC grant: PJ009087), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. Sang Yoon Kim and Jessie Gutierrez were supported by scholarships from the BK21 Program of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development, South Korea.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Applied Life Science (BK 21 Program), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 660-701, South Korea

    Sang Yoon Kim, Chang Hoon Lee, Jessie Gutierrez & Pil Joo Kim

  2. Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 660-701, South Korea

    Pil Joo Kim

Authors
  1. Sang Yoon Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chang Hoon Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jessie Gutierrez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pil Joo Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pil Joo Kim.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kim, S.Y., Lee, C.H., Gutierrez, J. et al. Contribution of winter cover crop amendments on global warming potential in rice paddy soil during cultivation. Plant Soil 366, 273–286 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1403-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1403-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation