Identifying a sustainable rice-based cropping system via on-farm evaluation of grain yield, carbon sequestration capacity and carbon footprints in Central China

Context

Rice-based cropping system is a major anthropogenic source of direct greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, agricultural inputs also produces numerous indirect GHG emissions and environmental problems. Identification of rice cropping systems with lower GHG emissions and higher grain yields is of great significance to ensure food security while minimizing agricultural carbon footprint (CF).

Objective

This study aimed to identify the optimal rice-based cropping system with lower greenhouse effects and comparable annual yield in central China.

Methods

Used life cycle assessment, a two-year field experiment was performed to evaluate the direct and indirect GHG emissions, CF, and carbon sequestration capacity in the six rice-based cropping systems widely used in central China, which consisted of fallow-early rice-late rice, rapeseed-early rice-late rice, fallow-ratoon rice, rapeseed-ratoon rice (RRaR), fallow-middle rice, and rapeseed-middle rice.

Results

The results showed that compared with the three systems with fallow season, the three systems with rapeseed had lower annual CH₄ emissions. The two systems with ratoon rice had lower annual indirect and direct GHG emissions than the two systems with double rice. The three systems with rapeseed had higher annual biomass, grain yields, and fixed carbon in biomass and significantly lower CF than the three systems with fallow season, and RRaR had the highest value of fixed carbon in biomass. The systems with ratoon rice had lower average CF than those systems with double rice. CH₄ emissions from paddy fields were the primary source of total annual GHG and the main component of CF. Compared with the three systems with fallow season, the three systems with rapeseed had significantly higher annual carbon sequestration capacity based on net ecosystem production (NEP). Ratoon rice systems had higher average NEP than double- and middle-rice systems. RRaR had the lowest CF per unit yield and highest NEP among all the six systems.

Conclusions

The results indicated that appropriate rice-based cropping systems may alleviate the greenhouse effect via reducing GHG emissions and enhancing paddy NEP, RRaR could achieve relatively higher annual grain yield and carbon sequestration capacity as well as lower CF.

Significance

This study highlight conversion of double rice and middle rice systems to RRaR may help improve grain yield and mitigate greenhouse effect. The findings may provide a theoretical basis for selection of sustainable development of rice based cropping systems in central China.