Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies

Agricultural strategies are urgently needed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions without reducing crop yield. Seedling rate per hill will affect the quantity and quality of tillers, which may affect rice yield and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Therefore, it is hypothesized that high yields w...

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Main Authors: Qiping Chen, Hao Li, Hexian Huang, Wei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Atmosphere
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1342
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author Qiping Chen
Hao Li
Hexian Huang
Wei Wang
author_facet Qiping Chen
Hao Li
Hexian Huang
Wei Wang
author_sort Qiping Chen
collection DOAJ
description Agricultural strategies are urgently needed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions without reducing crop yield. Seedling rate per hill will affect the quantity and quality of tillers, which may affect rice yield and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Therefore, it is hypothesized that high yields with low yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions could be achieved with optimal seedling rate per hill. A field experiment was conducted with three densities (low seedling rate, LSR; moderate seedling rate, MSR; and high seedling rate, HSR) for two consecutive rice seasons. The CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes were determined by the static chamber–GC method. The results showed no significant differences in rice yields, seasonal CH<sub>4</sub> emissions, or yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions between the three treatments. For early rice, the HSR tended to achieve high yield without increasing yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. As for late rice, the MSR showed similar rice yield, and tended to have lower yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions in comparison with the HSR. The results suggest that choosing an appropriate seedling rate per hill to increase grain yield while maintaining lower or comparable yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions can be a promising option to reduce CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from rice paddies.
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series Atmosphere
spelling doaj-art-a6ecb903ce3342c3a9978f53c25e885f2024-11-26T17:50:27ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332024-11-011511134210.3390/atmos15111342Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice PaddiesQiping Chen0Hao Li1Hexian Huang2Wei Wang3Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaEcology and Environment Monitoring Centre of Hunan, Changsha 410014, ChinaEcology and Environment Monitoring Centre of Hunan, Changsha 410014, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha 410125, ChinaAgricultural strategies are urgently needed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions without reducing crop yield. Seedling rate per hill will affect the quantity and quality of tillers, which may affect rice yield and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Therefore, it is hypothesized that high yields with low yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions could be achieved with optimal seedling rate per hill. A field experiment was conducted with three densities (low seedling rate, LSR; moderate seedling rate, MSR; and high seedling rate, HSR) for two consecutive rice seasons. The CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes were determined by the static chamber–GC method. The results showed no significant differences in rice yields, seasonal CH<sub>4</sub> emissions, or yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions between the three treatments. For early rice, the HSR tended to achieve high yield without increasing yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. As for late rice, the MSR showed similar rice yield, and tended to have lower yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions in comparison with the HSR. The results suggest that choosing an appropriate seedling rate per hill to increase grain yield while maintaining lower or comparable yield-scaled CH<sub>4</sub> emissions can be a promising option to reduce CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from rice paddies.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1342seedling rateplanting densityyield-scaled global warming potentialgreenhouse gas
spellingShingle Qiping Chen
Hao Li
Hexian Huang
Wei Wang
Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies
Atmosphere
seedling rate
planting density
yield-scaled global warming potential
greenhouse gas
title Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies
title_full Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies
title_fullStr Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies
title_short Effect of Seedling Rates on Crop Yield and Methane Emissions from Rice Paddies
title_sort effect of seedling rates on crop yield and methane emissions from rice paddies
topic seedling rate
planting density
yield-scaled global warming potential
greenhouse gas
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/15/11/1342
work_keys_str_mv AT qipingchen effectofseedlingratesoncropyieldandmethaneemissionsfromricepaddies
AT haoli effectofseedlingratesoncropyieldandmethaneemissionsfromricepaddies
AT hexianhuang effectofseedlingratesoncropyieldandmethaneemissionsfromricepaddies
AT weiwang effectofseedlingratesoncropyieldandmethaneemissionsfromricepaddies