Eco-Friendly Yield and Greenhouse Gas Emissions as Affected by Fertilization Type in a Tropical Smallholder Rice System, Ghana

Kofi Konadu Boateng, George Yaw Obeng and Ebenezer Mensah
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Kofi Konadu Boateng: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, College of Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box Up 1279, Kumasi, Ghana
George Yaw Obeng: Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box Up 1279, Kumasi, Ghana
Ebenezer Mensah: Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, College of Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box Up 1279, Kumasi, Ghana

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: Data on greenhouse gas emission levels associated with fertilization applied in smallholder paddy rice farms in Ghana are scanty. The current study investigated fertilization types to determine their eco-friendliness on yield, Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GHGI) in a major rice season in the forest zone of Ghana. In total, five treatments were studied viz Farmer Practice (BAU); Biochar + Farmer Practice (BAU + BIO); Poultry Manure + Farmer Practice (BAU + M); Biochar + Poultry Manure + Farmer Practice (BAU + BIO + M); and Control (CT). Fluxes of methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) were measured using a static chamber-gas chromatography method. N 2 O emissions at the end of the growing season were significantly different across treatments. BAU + BIO + M had highest N 2 O flux mean of 0.38 kgNha −1 day −1 (±0.18). BAU + M had the second highest N 2 O flux of 0.27 kgNha −1 day −1 (±0.08), but was not significantly different from BAU at p > 0.05. BAU+BIO recorded 0.20 kgNha −1 day −1 (±0.12), lower and significantly different from BAU, BAU + M and BAU + BIO + M. CH 4 emissions across treatments were not significantly different. However, highest CH 4 flux was recorded in BAU+BIO at 4.76 kgCH 4 ha −1 day −1 (±4.87). GWP based on seasonal cumulative GHG emissions among treatments ranged from 5099.16 (±6878.43) to 20894.58 (±19645.04) for CH 4 and 756.28 (±763.44) to 27201.54 (±9223.51) kgCO 2 eqha −1 Season −1 for N 2 O. The treatment with significantly higher yield and low emissions was BAU + M with a GHGI of 4.38 (±1.90) kgCO 2 eqkg −1 .

Keywords: paddy rice; greenhouse gas emissions; global warming potential (GWP); greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI); methane (CH 4 ); nitrous oxide (N 2 O); eco-friendly yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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