Comparative Analysis of the Carbon Emissions from Rice and Soybean Fields in a Diversified Cropping System
Hari Singh
Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, MPUAT- Udaipur, 313001, Rajasthan, India.
Narendra Yadav *
Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, MPUAT- Udaipur, 313001, Rajasthan, India.
Brijesh
Department of Plant Pathology, MPUAT- Udaipur, 313001, Rajasthan, India.
Amisha Besarwal
Department of Agronomy, MPUAT-Udaipur, 313001 Rajasthan, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Agricultural production contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and carbon dioxide (CO₂). This study compared estimated emissions from rice and soybean cultivation following crop diversification in Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India.
Methodology: The study considered rice cultivation during 2023–24 and the rice–soybean-based system during 2024–25. Primary data were collected through personal interviews with 60 farmers selected using a multistage sampling approach. The farmers initially cultivated rice on 139 hectares, of which 72.50 hectares were subsequently diversified to soybean. Greenhouse gas emissions were estimated from crop cultivation, fertiliser application, and diesel consumption and expressed as CO₂-equivalent.
Results: Rice cultivation produced estimated methane emissions of 113.40 kg/ha (8,221.50 kg in total), whereas soybean cultivation produced 0.11 kg/ha (7.97 kg in total). Total estimated GHG emissions were 268,303.35 kg CO₂-eq for rice and 25,154.31 kg CO₂-eq for soybean. Direct and indirect N₂O emissions from soybean cultivation were estimated at 0.65 and 0.40 kg/ha, respectively. The reported reduction following diversification was 3,353.77 kg CO₂-eq/ha, primarily associated with lower methane emissions.
Conclusion: Diversification from flooded rice cultivation to soybean was associated with substantially lower estimated GHG emissions over the study area. The findings indicate the potential contribution of crop diversification to agricultural emission mitigation under the conditions examined.
Keywords: Carbon foot print, crop diversification, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soybean cultivation, agricultural sustainability