Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Soil organic carbon (SOC) levels are the balance of carbon inputs from plant material and loss from oxidation to CO2 (SOC = IC - kCoc) SOC tends to decrease as atmospheric temperature increases. In the US, SOC levels are highest in the north central region (Iowa) where maize & soybean are grown at high yields. In the US, gross energy yield of biofuel production can be increased by using both maize grain & maize residue. Are the US results relevant for India if crop residues are used for biofuels? India’s estimated biomass production & potential in 2014 (Indian government supported study) Other impacts of increased residue use are perhaps more important issues than C-intensity of biofuels Increased residue removal would probably have major negative impacts on agricultural productivity: 1) Soil erosion increase (water & wind) = lower crop yields 2) Soil moisture decrease = lower crop yields 3) SOC decrease = nutrient decreases = lower crop yields R. Lal (2004): “The close link between soil C sequestration and world food security on the one hand and climate change on the other can neither be overemphasized nor ignored.”
Source: Lincoln (University of Nebraska)
Author: Adam Liska
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2611115152