Mitigation of greenhouse gas emission with system of rice intensification in the Indo-Gangetic Plains

Abstract

System of rice intensification (SRI) is an alternate method of conventional puddled, transplanted, and continuously flooded rice cultivation for higher yield, water saving, and increased farmer’s income. The SRI may also have considerable impact on greenhouse gas emission because of difference in planting, water and nutrient management practices. A field experiment was conducted with three planting methods: conventional puddled transplanted rice (TPR), conventional SRI with 12-days-old seedling (SRI) and modified SRI with 18-days-old seedling (MSRI) to study their effect on methane and nitrous oxide emission. Seasonal integrated flux (SIF) for methane was highest in the conventional method (22.59 kg ha−1) and lowest in MSRI (8.16 kg ha−1). Methane emissions with SRI and MSRI decreased by 61.1 and 64 %, respectively, compared to the TPR method. Cumulative N2O–N emission was 0.69, 0.90, and 0.89 kg ha−1 from the TPR, SRI, and MSRI planting methods, respectively. An average of 22.5 % increase in N2O–N emission over the TPR method was observed in the SRI and MSRI methods. The global warming potential (GWP), however, reduced by 28 % in SRI and 30 % in MSRI over the TPR method. A 36 % of water saving was observed with both SRI and MSRI methods. Grain yield in the SRI and MSRI methods decreased by 4.42 and 2.2 %, respectively, compared to the TPR method. Carbon efficiency ratio was highest in the MSRI and lowest in the TPR method. This study revealed that the SRI and MSRI methods were effective in reducing GWP and saving water without yield penalty in rice.