New evidence on the impact of No-tillage management on agricultural carbon emissions.

Abstract

Controlling agricultural carbon emissions contributes to achieving peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. However, as a conservation management practice of farmland, the impact of No-tillage management (NTM) on agricultural carbon emissions needs to be further discussed. The main purpose of this paper is to assess the direct effect and spatial spillover effect of NTM on agricultural carbon emissions, revealing the regulating mechanism of NTM on agricultural carbon emissions and the combined application of NTM. Results indicate that NTM reduces agricultural carbon emissions, which is significant in the central and western regions, along with the primary grain, corn, and rice production areas, as well as the northern regions of the Huai River. Furthermore, the spatial spillover analysis reveals that the implementation of NTM increases agricultural carbon emissions in neighboring regions, but financial support and cross-regional services can negatively regulate the relationship between NTM and space agricultural carbon emissions. This paper also finds that combining straw-returning technology and NTM reduces agricultural carbon emissions. Building a cross-regional coordination mechanism, an incentive mechanism, and innovating the conservation tillage model is essential for promoting the NTM and achieving agricultural carbon reduction.