Short-Term Soil CO2 Emission and Soil Attributes Under Contrasting Sugarcane Cultivars

Abstract

Agriculture is a great emission source of CO 2 into the atmosphere, contributing significantly to the greenhouse effect. Considering the hypothesis that there are differences in soil carbon dynamics due to the distinct physiological and morphological characteristics of sugarcane cultivars, the aim of this study was to characterize the short-term soil CO 2 emission associated with soil attributes in agricultural areas under cultivation of five sugarcane cultivars. The experiment was conducted in an area of high-clay Oxisol (Hapludox, USDA Soil Taxonomy) located at the Cerrado biome, Midwestern region of Brazil. Over the course of 20 days, ten measurements of soil CO 2 emission (FCO 2), soil temperature (Ts), and soil moisture (Ms) were carried out. Subsequently, soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-0.20 m to determine soil physical and chemical attributes. In timescale, FCO 2 , Ts, and Ms varied depending on the amount of straw produced by each cultivar. The cultivars RB935608, RB935744, and SP832847 induced a higher soil CO 2 emission since they are associated with controlling factors of the primary CO 2 production process (higher organic matter content and lower C/N ratio in the soil). Thus, strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, such as the choice of sugarcane cultivars that provide lower soil CO 2 emissions, are essential to mitigate important environmental issues such as the global warming.

Can sugarcane cope with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration?

“…A recent study had reported that sugarcane crop cover and tillage at a minimum level forms a strong and efficient approach in mitigating the CO 2 emissions emitted from soil (Farhate et al, 2018). Moitinho et al (2018) had revealed that different sugarcane cultivars respond differently for soil CO 2 emissions and one must keep in mind that prior to planting of sugarcane as a management tool for mitigating GHGs emission, one must look for the cultivar to be planted.…”