Energy budgeting and carbon footprint in long-term integrated nutrient management modules in a cereal- legume (Zea mays – Cicer arietinum) cropping system. (10th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meena, Bharat Prakash; Biswas, A.K.; Singh, Muneshwar; Das, H.; Chaudhary, R.S.; Singh, A.B.; Shirale, A.O.; Patra, Ashok K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 314(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-10
• Subjects: Carbon footprints -- Energy use efficiency -- Economic audit -- Integrated nutrient management -- System productivity; CFs Carbon footprints -- CFy Carbon foot-prints based on yield -- Ec Energy coefficient -- EI Energy input -- EIN Energy intensiveness -- EO Energy output -- EP Energy productivity -- EPF Energy profitability -- ESP Specific energy -- EUE Energy use efficiency -- FYM Farmyard manure -- GHGs Greenhouse gases -- GLM Gliricidia sepium -- GR Gross returns -- GRD General recommended dose -- GWP Global warming potential -- Gt giga tonnes -- INM Integrated nutrient management -- LTFEs Long-term fertilizer experiments -- MEY Maize equivalent yield -- MRM Maize residue mulch -- NE Net energy -- NR Net returns -- OM's Organic manures -- PM Poultry manure -- SOC Soil organic carbon -- SOM Soil organic matter -- SP System productivity -- SDGs Sustainable Development Goals -- STCR Soil test crop response -- UC Urban compost -- VCOC Variable cost of cultivation; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127900
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Agriculture produces a large amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs), for instance overuse of synthetic fertilizer and pesticides in agriculture may lead to tremendous GHGs emission, which poses a serious threat to sustainability of agriculture, environmental quality and human health. Integrated nutrient management (INM) practices have been advised to farmers with the aim to boost agricultural productivity and soil quality. A long-term fertilizer experiment (LTFE) was undertaken from 2012 to 2020 to evaluate the energy budget, carbon footprint (CF) and economic audit under INM modules in maize–chickpea system over organic and inorganic modules for developing cleaner production technology. In this study, twelve organic, inorganic and INM modules that consisted of various combinations of soil test crop response (STCR) based NPK, general recommended dose (GRD) of NPK and organic manures (OM's) viz ., farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), urban compost (UC), maize residue mulch (MRM) and Gliricidia sepium mulch (GLM) were evaluated in maize–chickpea system. Uniqueness of this research work is that the effect of INM modules on GHGs emission was evaluated along with crop productivity, energy use efficiency (EUE) and carbon footprint (CF) jointly as environment friendly approach for sustainable and safe food grain production. Adoption of STCR based INM module (FYM+75%NPK of STCR) minimized the energy requirement by 14%, cost of cultivation by 6.5% and besides that CF on a spatial scale was 17% lower than GRD. Thus, STCR based INM module enhanced the EUE, energy productivity (EP) and energy profitability (EPF) by 28.5%, 31.5% and 31.8% respectively, over GRD. The CF (CO2 -e) was greater in organic module (FYM 20 Mgha -1 every year) (2422 CO2 -e kg ha −1 ) and GRD (2230 CO2 -e kg ha −1 ) than STCR based INM module (2152 CO2 -e kg ha −1 ). The saving of fossil fuels from judicious use of fertilizers/manures, lower input energy and higher crop yields under INM modules were significant. Nitrous oxide (N2 O) emission was also increased by integration of OM's, and the higher quantity of organic inputs used, more was the emission. INM module (FYM+75%NPK of STCR) also increased system productivity by 17.0%, carbon efficiency (CE) by 19.3% and carbon sustainability index (CSI) by 21% than GRD. Thus, the study supports and suggests that the STCR based INM module is an economically viable, environmentally secure and clean production technology for improving crop yield and energy use, while decreasing the CFs and production cost of cereal–legume cropping system. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Fertilizer based CO2 emission contributes significantly to the global GHGs emission and carbon footprints. The adoption of INM module increased crop yields with lower carbon footprints. Balanced fertilization had higher net return and 17% reduced carbon footprints on spatial scale. INM module increased the energy efficiency and energy productivity by 29% and 32%, respectively. INM module reduced the carbon footprints by 17% and 14% in fertilizers and N2 O emissions and leading to 11% total reduction.