Influence of crop establishment methods on methane emission from rice fields

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to know the effect of rice sowing and transplanting methods as well as nutrient management through 12 treatments were assessed during kharif 2004 at Crop Research Centre, Pantnagar. The maximum methane flux was recorded in 100% NPK + straw + manual transplanting practice (7.70 mg m ―2 h ―1 ), whereas the lowest 0.70 mg m ―2 h ―1 in vermicompost + direct sowing. The treatment 100% NPK + sulphur + manual transplanting gave higher grain yield of rice (6.85 t ha ―1 ) and CH 4 emission (2.25 mg m ―2 h ―1 ). However, the treatment 100% NPK + sulphur + direct sowing was effective in reducing methane flux (1.57 mg m ―2 h ―1 ) with higher rice grain yield of 6.62 t ha ―1 .