Dry direct-seeding of rice for mitigating greenhouse gas emission: field experimentation and simulation

Conventional puddled transplanted rice (TPR) is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG), particularly methane, causing global warming. Direct-seeded rice (DSR) is a feasible alternative to mitigate methane emission, besides saving water and labor. A 2-year field experiment was carried out to quantify GHG mitigation and water- and labor-saving potentials of the DSR crop compared to TPR in three villages in Jalandhar district of Punjab, India. The InfoRCT simulation model was used to calculate the emission of CO2 besides CH4 and N2O in different districts of Punjab, India. Total global warming potential (GWP) in transplanted rice in various districts of Punjab ranged from 2.0 to 4.6 t CO2 eq. ha(-1) and in the DSR it ranged from 1.3 to 2.9 t CO2 eq. ha(-1). Extrapolation analysis showed that if the entire area under TPR in the state is converted to DSR, the GWP will be reduced by 33 %, and if 50 % area is converted to DSR the GWP will be reduced by 16.6 % of the current emission. The DSR crop saved 3-4 irrigations compared to the transplanted rice without any yield penalty. Human labor use also reduced to 45 % and tractor use to 58 % in the DSR compared to TPR.