Contribution of Winter Wheat and Barley Cultivars to Climate Change via Soil Respiration in Continental Croatia

Abstract

Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by the cultivation of cultivars with lower carbon footprint. Considering the hypothesis that there are differences in soil respiration, due to differences in physiological and morphological characteristics of wheat and barley, the aim of this study is an assessment of soil respiration rates and microclimate under different cover (bare soil, wheat, and barley) and cultivar (four barley and four wheat) types. Soil respiration was determined by in situ closed static-chamber method in continental Croatia, during the 2020/2021 season. The seasonal pattern of the soil respiration was similar for all cultivars, respiration was increasing with crop development stages until maturity, when it decreased until the harvest. Cover type did not have influence on soil microclimate but did have on soil respiration. Bare soil had significantly lower annual respiration rates, compared to the barley/wheat covers. Average annual respiration rates were similar between the barley and wheat covers, as well as between all studied barley cultivars. A significant difference between winter wheat cultivars have only been determined between the Renata (9.78 kg C-CO2 ha−1 day−1) and El Nino (12.67 kg C-CO2 ha−1 day−1) cultivars. However, the determination of the total carbon budget is needed, in order to determine the most suitable cultivar, in the light of climate change.