Greenhouse gas emissions and net global warming potential of vineyards under different fertilizer and water managements in North China

Abstract

Ensuring fruit productivity and mitigation climate change under low consumption of fertilizer and irrigation can contribute to sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study was to determine whether higher fruit production and lower net global warming potential (Net-GWP) could be realized concomitantly by reducing the amount of fertilizer and water applied. The effect of water and fertilizer management on fruit yield, N2O and CH4 emissions variation was measured over a two-year period to gain insight into Net-GWP and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) in wine grape vineyard (WGV) and table grape vineyard (TGV) in North China. Two fertilizer and water managements were set in each vineyard: optimized practice (OP) treatment and traditional practice (TP) treatment. The results showed that the OP treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased grape fruit by 10.2 % and 10.7 % in WGV and TGV, respectively, in comparison with TP treatment. Besides, the fluxes N2O and CH4 showed significant seasonal variation and the maximum were occurred from April to September and the N2O emissions were strongly decreased in OP treatment. Compared with the TP treatment, the OP treatment significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the Net-GWP and GHGI by 13.2 % and 21.5 % in WGV, as well as decreased that by 21 % and 28.6 % in TGV. The process of manufacture and transport of N fertilizer, the N2O emission and the electricity generation for pumping irrigation were the three main contributors to vineyard Net-GWP. Thus we concluded that higher fruit production and lower Net-GWP could be realized concomitantly by reducing fertilizer and water application in WGV and TGV in North China.