Productivity and Carbon Sequestration Potential of Arecanut Cultivars under Malnad Region of Karnataka

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Thirtahhalli, KSNUAHS, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India, where arecanut palms of eight cultivars were evaluated for growth and yield performance for two consecutive years. The above-ground carbon sequestration potential and the soil carbon sequestration potential were assessed. The cultivar SAS-1 performed superior over other cultivars for all the growth parameters under study viz., palm height (9.02 m), stem diameter (18.07 cm), number of leaves (9.84) and internodal distance (17.38cm). However highest yield of fruit bunch per palm was recorded in the cultivar Mohithnagar (20.28 kg), followed by Thirthalli local (17.92 kg), Sreemangala (17.46 kg) and Tarikere Local (15.31 kg). Maximum chali/ dried ripe nut yield was recorded in Thithalli local (3.29 kg), Mohithnagar (3.10 kg) and Sreemangala (2.80 kg). Significantly higher values for standing biomass (15.49 t/ha), carbon stock (7.75 t/ha) and carbon sequestration (28.43 t/ha) were recorded in cultivar SAS-1. Soil parameters viz., bulk density, soil organic carbon and carbon stock in soil was analyzed in the rhizosphere of respective cultivars and maximum soil organic carbon (13.10g/kg and 11.43g/kg at 0-30 & 30-60 cm depths respectively) and carbon stock (52.77 t/ha at 0-30 cm and 46.41 t/ha at 30-60 cm depth) were recorded in that of cultivar Sumangala.