Greenhouse gas emissions from a soil cultivated with wheat (Triticum spp. L.) and amended with castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) or Jatropha curcas L. seed cake: A greenhouse experiment

Abstract

Cultivation of plants, such as castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) or Jatropha curcas L. is set to increase in future as their seeds are used to extract oil for biofuel production. Ricinus communis seed cake (RSC) and J. curcas seed cake (JSC) were applied to soil cultivated with wheat (Triticum spp. L.) while plant growth and emissions of the greenhouse gases, CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O were monitored. Application of RSC or JSC had no significant effect development of the wheat plants. Emissions of CO 2 and N 2 O increased in soil amended with JSC or RSC, especially when larger amounts were applied, but had no effect on emissions of CH 4 . It was found that application of seed cakes increased emissions of CO 2 and N 2 O, but did not stimulate plant growth.Keywords: biofuel; decomposition of seed cake; emissions of CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O; mineral N; soil characteristics V.M. Ruíz-Valdiviezo, Á. Aguilar-Chávez and M.R. Cárdenas-Aquino contributed equally to the experiment.