Agron. Sustain. Dev. 26 (2006) 45-54
DOI: 10.1051/agro:2005056

Decreasing methane emission of rice by better crop management

Manoch Kongchum^a, P.K. Bollich^b, W.H. Hudnall^c, R.D. DeLaune^d and C.W. Lindau<sup>d

a</sup>  Department of Agronomy and Environmental Management, Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
^b  Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Central Research Station, 2310 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
^c  Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
^d  Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA

(Accepted 1st September 2005; published online 24 January 2006)

Abstract - A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of water management techniques for maintaining rice production and reducing methane emission in a Crowley silt loam paddy soil receiving high rice straw additions. A 2 × 5 factorial experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with two water management practices; alternately flooded and drained and continuously flooded, and five rates of rice straw incorporation as subplot treatments (0, 3, 6, 12 and 24 t ha^-1), with four replications. Rice yield was significantly greater in the alternately flooded and drained treatment as compared with the continuously flooded treatment. High rice straw application (12 and 24 t ha^-1) reduced rice yield in both water management treatments. Methane emission increased with increase in the rice straw application rate. However, emissions were lower in the alternately flooded and drained treatment plots. The results demonstrate that draining a field for a short period of time during the growing season can enhance rice growth and rice yield while reducing methane emission.

Key words: paddy rice / water management / plant residue / methane emission / rice production

Corresponding author: R.D. DeLaune rdelaune@aol.com

© INRA, EDP Sciences 2006