Paddy cultivar diversification for management of soil methane emissions and sustainable rice production
摘要
The paddy cultivation, particularly flooded paddy rice cultivars prevent oxygen penetration to the deeper layers of the soil, creating anaerobic conditions, favourable for methanogens to produce methane (CH4). Cultivation of dry-land/upland rice cultivars in place of flooded/irrigated rice varieties and application of bio-fertilizers in place of chemical fertilizers would be the key management strategy to enhance CH4 consumption and CH4 emissions reduction. Furthermore, diversifying paddy rice varieties particularly by selecting dry-land/rain-fed varieties, disease-resistant and climate-resilient hybrids, as well as dwarf and early-maturing high-yielding lines offers a promising and sustainable strategy for enhancing rice productivity while mitigating soil-derived CH₄ emissions, compared to conventional flooded rice systems. The sustainable rice farming practices, such as application of crop residues-based biochar, farm yard manures (FYM), efficient irrigation management, can significantly contribute in mitigating the CH₄ emissions and paddy crop productivity. This article emphasizes the possible management of paddy agriculture farming by different rice varieties along with new upcoming modern soil and water management practices in CH4 mitigation and sustainable rice production. The future improved farming practices like alternate wetting and drying (AWD), degraded land restoration and system of rice intensification (SRI) also creates a better paddy growing environment and can enhance rice yields, while using less water and lowering farmer’s input costs.