Plough Tillage Maintains High Rice Yield and Lowers Greenhouse Gas Emissions under Straw Incorporation in Three Rice-Based Cropping Systems

Straw incorporation promotes rice productivity and soil fertility. However, the effects of tillage practice with straw on GHG emissions in paddy fields are not well documented. Under three rice-based cropping systems of China (single rice, double rice and rice-wheat cropping systems), we investigated rice yield, CH4, N2O, area and yield-scaled emissions arising from different straw-incorporated tillage patterns. Tillage with straw affected rice yield by -6.8 similar to 3.2%, -9.1 similar to 9.0% and -9.8 similar to 2.1% in single rice, rice-wheat and double rice cropping systems respectively. Straw impacted CH4 emission but tillage influenced its impact irrespective of the rice cropping system. The highest CH4 emissions occurred in RedT + S, RoT + S and RoT + S under single rice, rice-wheat and double rice cropping systems respectively. Cumulative CH4 emission of PT + S decreased by 46.8% (p < 0.05) compared to RedT + S in the single cropping system, while under rice-wheat and double rice cropping systems, cumulative CH4 emission of PT + S decreased by 19.0% (p < 0.05) and 13.2% (p > 0.05) respectively compared with RoT + S. Lower methanogenic abundance of PT + S translated into the lowest cumulative CH4, area and yield scaled emissions in single rice and double rice cropping systems. To maintain high rice yield and reduce GHG emissions from straw incorporation, PT + S is recommended for a rice-based cropping system.

Automated summary

Straw incorporation can promote rice productivity and soil fertility, but the effects of tillage practice with straw on greenhouse gas emissions in paddy fields are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of different straw-incorporated tillage patterns on rice yield, CH4, N2O, area and yield-scaled emissions under three rice-based cropping systems of China. Results showed that tillage with straw had varying effects on rice yield in different cropping systems, and straw impacted CH4 emission while tillage influenced its impact regardless of the cropping system. We recommend PT + S as a straw-incorporated tillage pattern to maintain high rice yield and reduce GHG emissions.