Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from optimized and alternative cereal cropping systems on the North China Plain: A two-year field study

Gao, B; Ju, X; Su, F; Meng, Q; Oenema, O; Christie, P; Chen, X; Zhang, F

HERO ID

2232138

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2014

Language

English

PMID

24291136

HERO ID 2232138
In Press No
Year 2014
Title Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from optimized and alternative cereal cropping systems on the North China Plain: A two-year field study
Authors Gao, B; Ju, X; Su, F; Meng, Q; Oenema, O; Christie, P; Chen, X; Zhang, F
Journal Science of the Total Environment
Volume 472
Issue Elsevier
Page Numbers 112-124
Abstract The impacts of different crop rotation systems with their corresponding management practices on grain yield, greenhouse gas emissions, and fertilizer nitrogen (N) and irrigation water use efficiencies are not well documented. This holds especially for the North China Plain which provides the staple food for hundreds of millions of people and where groundwater resources are polluted with nitrate and depleted through irrigation. Here, we report on fertilizer N and irrigation water use, grain yields, and nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions of conventional and optimized winter wheat-summer maize double-cropping systems, and of three alternative cropping systems, namely a winter wheat-summer maize (or soybean)-spring maize system, with three harvests in two years; and a single spring maize system with one crop per year. The results of this two-year study show that the optimized double-cropping system led to a significant increase in grain yields and a significant decrease in fertilizer N use and net greenhouse gas intensity, but the net greenhouse gas N2O emissions plus CH4 uptake and the use of irrigation water did not decrease relative to the conventional system. Compared to the conventional system the net greenhouse gas emissions, net greenhouse gas intensity and use of fertilizer N and irrigation water decreased in the three alternative cropping systems, but at the cost of grain yields except in the winter wheat-summer maize-spring maize system. Net uptake of CH4 by the soil was little affected by cropping system. Average N2O emission factors were only 0.17% for winter wheat and 0.53% for maize. In conclusion, the winter wheat-summer maize-spring maize system has considerable potential to decrease water and N use and decrease N2O emissions while maintaining high grain yields and sustainable use of groundwater.
Doi 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.11.003
Pmid 24291136
Wosid WOS:000331916100015
Url https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0048969713012771
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword N2O emission; CH4 uptake; Nitrogen; Cropping systems; Grain yield