Simulating the Long-Term Effects of Fertilizer and Water Management on Grain Yield and Methane Emissions of Paddy Rice in Thailand

Nittaya Cha-un, Amnat Chidthaisong, Kazuyuki Yagi and Sirintornthep Towprayoon
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Nittaya Cha-un: The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Prachauthit Rd, Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Amnat Chidthaisong: The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Prachauthit Rd, Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Kazuyuki Yagi: The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Prachauthit Rd, Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Sirintornthep Towprayoon: The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE), King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Prachauthit Rd, Bangmod, Tungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: Rice is an important economic crop in Thailand. However, paddy rice fields are one of the largest anthropogenic sources of methane (CH 4 ) emissions. Therefore, suitable crop management practice is necessary to reduce CH 4 emissions while rice grain yield is maintained. This study aimed to evaluate appropriate options of fertilizer and water management practices for Thai rice cultivation with regards to improving rice grain yield and reducing CH 4 emissions. The Denitrification–Decomposition (DNDC) model was used to simulate grain yield and the emission of CH 4 under the three fertilizer options (chemical fertilizer (F), manure (M) and chemical fertilizer + manure (F + M)) with three water management options (continuous flooding (CF), mid-season drainage (MD) and alternate wet and dry (AWD)) during the years 2011–2050. Rain-fed and irrigated rice cropping systems were used. A total of 24 sites distributed in 22 provinces were studied. The data sets of daily climate, soil properties, and rice management practices were required as inputs in the model. Model validation with observation data in a field experiment indicated that simulated grain yields (R 2 = 0.83, slope = 0.98, NRMES = 0.30) and cumulative seasonal CH 4 emissions (R 2 = 0.83, slope = 0.74, NRMES = 0.43) were significantly and positively correlated with the observation. At the end of the simulation period (2046–2050), fertilizer management options of F and F + M gave more grain yield than the M management option by 1–44% in rain-fed rice cropping and 104–190% in irrigated rice cropping system, respectively. Among options, the lower CH 4 emissions were found in AWD water management options. The appropriate options with regard to maintaining grain yield and reducing CH 4 emissions in the long term were suggested to be F + M with AWD for the rain-fed rice, and F with AWD for the irrigated rice cropping systems.

Keywords: long-term effects; fertilizers and water management; grain yield; methane emission; paddy rice; Thailand; DNDC model; GHG mitigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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