• Authors:
    • Cichorowski,G.
    • Joa,B.
    • Hottenroth,H.
    • Schmidt,M.
  • Source: The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: Purpose: Following water, tea is the second most consumed drink worldwide and has the peculiarity that not only its production but especially its preparation can be associated with considerable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The aims of this study were to calculate the cradle-to-gate and cradle-to-grave product carbon footprint (PCF) of Darjeeling tea and to identify potentials to reduce GHG emissions along its life cycle. Therefore, various options for action and their impact on the PCF were modeled by using a scenario analysis. Methods: To assess the PCF of Darjeeling tea, the method based on ISO/TS 14067 was used with some limitations. Besides one base scenario, alternative cradle-to-gate scenarios and different use profiles were modeled. The results were split in a cradle-to-gate and a cradle-to-grave perspective. For the cradle-to-gate phase a functional unit of one kilogram loose black Darjeeling tea was chosen, whereas for the cradle-to-grave phase one liter black Darjeeling tea that is prepared and ready to drink in Germany was seen as appropriate functional unit. Primary data for the present study has been collected from local farmers, manufacturers, and agents in Darjeeling, Kolkata, and Rotterdam. For secondary data, the database ecoinvent 2.2 was mainly used. Results and discussion: The cradle-to-gate PCF of 1 kg Darjeeling tea is between 7.1 and 25.3 kg CO 2e depending on the cultivation method, energy sources used, or mode of transportation. The cradle-to-grave PCF for 1 l organic Darjeeling tea is about 0.15 kg CO 2e. The largest share, 51%, makes up the use phase, which is clearly dominated by the boiling of water. The variety of possible use profiles yields results of great breadth. It shows that the life cycle of organic Darjeeling tea transported by ship, depending on the preparation variants can cause emissions from 0.12 to 0.51 kg CO 2e/l tea. Conclusions: The main reduction potentials for GHG emissions were identified in the process of water boiling, the intercontinental transport mode, and the cultivation method. Since the climate impact of tea strongly depends on the way in which it is prepared, the consumer has a decisive influence on the PCF. Therefore, in order to make a reliable statement about the climate performance of consumer goods such as tea, the whole life cycle must be considered.
  • Authors:
    • Sapkota,T. B.
    • Kaushik Majumdar
    • Jat,M. L.
  • Source: Better Crops with Plant Food
  • Volume: 99
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: In a collaborative effort between the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre and the International Plant Nutrition Institute to test, pilot and upscale Nutrient Expert (NE; a decision support system)-based fertilizer management, on-farm participatory research was conducted in 7 districts (Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala, Sonepat, Panipat, and Yamunanager) of Haryana (India) to evaluate and compare the NE-based strategies in conventional and no-till wheat production systems. For this, 15 on-farm experiments were established in 2010-11 and 2011-12. The four nutrient management treatments included: (1) NE-based recommendation; (2) NE+GreenSeeker (GS; handheld sensors): NE recommendation supplemented with GS-guided application of N; (3) SR: state fertilizer recommendation; and (4) FFP or the farmers fertilizer application practice. These treatments were compared for agronomic productivity, economic profitability and total greenhouse gas emissions. Total greenhouse gas emissions from wheat production were estimated using the Cool Farm Tool. The results showed that both grain yield and net return were higher with NE-based strategies compared to FFP and SR. The estimated total carbon footprint (i.e. GWP per tonne of wheat grain production and per US$ of net return) was also lower for NE-based strategies than other nutrient management strategies. Thus, the use of precision nutrient management tools such as NE and GS are important for increasing wheat yields and farmer profits yet minimizing the environmental footprint of wheat production.
  • Authors:
    • Banger,Kamaljit
    • Tian,Hanqin
    • Tao,Bo
    • Ren,Wei
    • Pan,Shufen
    • Dangal,Shree
    • Yang,Jia
  • Source: Climatic Change
  • Volume: 132
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: India is very important but relatively unexplored region in terms of carbon studies, where significant environmental changes have occurred in the 20th century that can alter terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP). Here, we used a process-based, Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM), driven by land cover and land use change (LCLUC), climate change, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration, atmospheric nitrogen deposition (NDEP), and tropospheric ozone (O-3) pollution to estimate terrestrial NPP in India during 1901-2010. Over the country, terrestrial NPP showed significant inter-annual variations ranging 1.2 Pg C year(-1) to 1.7 Pg C year(-1) during the 1901-2010. Overall, multiple environmental changes have increased terrestrial NPP by 0.23 Pg C year(-1). Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration has increased NPP by 0.29 Pg C; however climate change has offset a portion of terrestrial NPP (0.11 Pg C) during this study period. On an average, terrestrial NPP reduced by 0.12 Pg C year(-1) in drought years; when precipitation was 100 mm year(-1) lower than long term average, suggesting that terrestrial carbon cycle in India is strongly linked to climate change. LCLUC, including land conversions and cropland management practices, increased terrestrial NPP by 0.043 Pg C year(-1) over the country. Tropospheric O-3 pollution reduced terrestrial NPP by 0.06 Pg C year(-1) and the decrease was comparatively higher in croplands than other biomes after the 1980s. Our results have shown that climate change and tropospheric O-3 pollution may partially offset terrestrial NPP increase caused by elevated CO2 concentration, LCLUC, and NDEP over India.
  • Authors:
    • Dunfield, P.
    • Dubey, G.
    • Kollah, B.
    • Mohanty, S. R.
  • Source: Article
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: Experiments were carried out to determine how the incorporation of biomass from the bioenergy crop Jatropha curcas into a tropical vertisol affects the biogeochemical processes important for greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, specifically methane (CH4) production, carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and CH4 consumption. Leaf biomass of J. curcas was incorporated at 0.1, 0.5, and 1 % (w/w) into soil maintained under 60 % of moisture-holding capacity (MHC). Biomass addition significantly stimulated potential CH4 and CO2 production while inhibiting potential CH4 consumption. When 1 % of J. curcas biomass was added to soil, potential CH4 production increased nearly 50-fold over 60 days, from 2.45 µg CH4 g-1 soil day-1 in unamended soil to 115 µg g-1 day-1 in soil containing leaf biomass. Soil CO2 production also doubled when the J. curcas biomass was added. The potential CH4 consumption rate of soil was inhibited almost completely by 1 % of added biomass. The culturable methanotroph population was positively correlated with the CH4 consumption rate (r = 0.961, p < 0.0001) and was inhibited 20-fold by 1 % of biomass addition. In contrast, the total population of aerobic heterotrophs culturable on a complex medium increased from 11 to 59 × 106 of colony-forming units (CFU) g-1 of soil after biomass addition. Significant positive correlation was observed between the total heterotroph population and both CH4 production (r = 0.861, p = 0.0003) and CO2 production (r = 0.863, p = 0.0002). Our study shows that biomass from the bioenergy crop J. curcas can affect soil biogeochemical processes that control GHG emissions. We propose that a high incorporation of J. curcas biomass could dramatically change the CH4 flux in tropical soil by simultaneously increasing CH4 production and decreasing CH4 consumption, and we therefore recommend that biomass incorporation to soil be minimized (<0.1 %) as a strategy to mitigate GHG emission. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
  • Authors:
    • Mohanty, S. R.
    • Dunfield, P.
    • Dubey, G.
    • Kollah, B.
  • Source: Article
  • Volume: 20
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: Experiments were carried out to determine how the incorporation of biomass from the bioenergy crop Jatropha curcas into a tropical vertisol affects the biogeochemical processes important for greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, specifically methane (CH 4) production, carbon dioxide (CO 2) production, and CH 4 consumption. Leaf biomass of J. curcas was incorporated at 0.1, 0.5, and 1% ( w/w) into soil maintained under 60% of moisture-holding capacity (MHC). Biomass addition significantly stimulated potential CH 4 and CO 2 production while inhibiting potential CH 4 consumption. When 1% of J. curcas biomass was added to soil, potential CH 4 production increased nearly 50-fold over 60 days, from 2.45 g CH 4?g -1 soilday -1 in unamended soil to 115 gg -1day -1 in soil containing leaf biomass. Soil CO 2 production also doubled when the J. curcas biomass was added. The potential CH 4 consumption rate of soil was inhibited almost completely by 1% of added biomass. The culturable methanotroph population was positively correlated with the CH 4 consumption rate ( r=0.961, p<0.0001) and was inhibited 20-fold by 1% of biomass addition. In contrast, the total population of aerobic heterotrophs culturable on a complex medium increased from 11 to 59*10 6 of colony-forming units (CFU) g -1 of soil after biomass addition. Significant positive correlation was observed between the total heterotroph population and both CH 4 production ( r=0.861, p=0.0003) and CO 2 production ( r=0.863, p=0.0002). Our study shows that biomass from the bioenergy crop J. curcas can affect soil biogeochemical processes that control GHG emissions. We propose that a high incorporation of J. curcas biomass could dramatically change the CH 4 flux in tropical soil by simultaneously increasing CH 4 production and decreasing CH 4 consumption, and we therefore recommend that biomass incorporation to soil be minimized (<0.1%) as a strategy to mitigate GHG emission.
  • Authors:
    • Pal, D. K.
    • Tiwary, P.
    • Mandal, C.
    • Ray, S. K.
    • Chandran, P.
    • Bhattacharyya, T.
    • Wani, S. P.
    • Sahrawat, K. L.
  • Source: Soil Horizons
  • Volume: 55
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the major determinant of soil quality, and it greatly influences global carbon cycling and climate change. This paper is a synthesis of the literature on soil carbon research in India, including soil organic and inorganic carbon stocks, in the form of thematic maps for national and regional level planning at bioclimatic systems and agroecological subregion levels in the country. The potential role of soils in mitigating the global warming effects of atmospheric CO 2 is discussed using results from Indian tropical soils. The database on Indian soils collected through natural resource inventory and soil carbon and crop modeling approaches show that sequestration of atmospheric CO 2 occurs as pedogenic carbonates and plays role as a soil modifier in enhancing soil organic carbon in the drier parts of the country through management interventions. Clearly, soils can act as a potential medium for sequestering atmospheric CO 2 to mitigate the global warming effect.
  • Authors:
    • Ghosh, P. K.
    • Munda, G. C.
    • Lal, R.
    • Das, A.
    • Kuotsu, K.
    • Ngachan, S. V.
  • Source: SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
  • Volume: 142
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Soil erosion, low phosphorus fertility, and soil moisture stress during winter season are among major limitations to high crop production and sustainable land management in North Eastern Hill (NEH) region of India. Thus, a two years (2009-2011) field study was conducted on a terraced land (980. m a.s.l.) to study the impact of land configuration, tillage and residue management on soil properties under rainfed groundnut-rapeseed cropping system. The treatments were: (i) farmers' practice (FP) (flat bed - residue removal, 3-4 times ploughing); (ii) broad bed and furrow (BBF) with in situ residue incorporation; (iii) BBF with in situ residue. +. hedge leaves {white hoary pea, Tephrosia candida (Roxb.) DC} incorporation; (iv) BBF with in situ residue. +. hedge leaves mulching (no-till, NT); (v) raised bed (RB) with in situ residue incorporation; (vi) RB with in situ residue. +. hedge leaves incorporation; (vii) RB with in situ residue. +. hedge leaves mulching (NT). Soil profile moisture content was higher under residue retention/incorporation and altered land configuration than that under FP. Water infiltration rate (11.2. mm/h) and hydraulic conductivity (6.98. mm/h) in soil under RB with residue. +. hedge leaves mulching (NT) were significantly higher (P= 0.05), than that under FP (7.65. mm/h and 3.35. mm/h) after two cropping cycles. Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) was significantly higher under RB with residue. +. hedge leaves incorporation (381. μg/g soil and 276. μg/g soil) than that under FP. Dehydrogenase activity (DHA) was the highest in RB with residue. +. hedge leaves mulching (NT) (57.8. μg. TPF/g soil/24. h). Soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient content improved under residue management. RB with residue. +. hedge leaves mulching (NT) resulted in the maximum SOC stock, and it was 2.0. Mg/ha and 2.7. Mg/ha higher than that of the antecedent level and FP, respectively. The average groundnut equivalent yield (GEY) was significantly the highest in RB with residue. +. hedge leaves incorporation (2815. kg/ha) followed by that under RB with residue incorporation (2747. kg/ha). Water use efficiency (WUE) of rapeseed was the maximum in RB with residue. +. hedge leaves incorporation (4.64. kg/ha - mm) and the minimum under FP (1.49. kg/ha - mm). The BBF and RB land configurations along with residue and hedge leaves mulching under NT improved soil quality and was the most suitable for higher returns of groundnut-rapeseed system under rainfed mid-hills condition. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
  • Authors:
    • Kundu, S.
    • Subba Rao, A.
    • Singh, R. C.
    • Lenka, N. K.
    • Lenka, S.
    • Raghuwansi, J.
    • Patidar, C. P.
  • Source: CURRENT SCIENCE
  • Volume: 107
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: Biomass burning is a major contributor to the atmospheric carbon budget and increases the concentration of many trace gases apart from the adverse effects on soil properties. However, in many parts of India, crop residue burning is a recurrent and widespread practice for disposal of the residues after harvest of the previous crop to facilitate sowing of the succeeding crop. The residue burning on a larger scale also leads to severe atmospheric pollution. Against this backdrop, the present work was conducted to study the effect of wheat (Triticum aestivum) residue burning on soil properties and assess the potential greenhouse gas emission from burning of such residues on a regional scale. The study was taken up on farmers' field in Bhopal district, Madhya Pradesh, with two residue disposal methods, viz. residue burning and residue removal, for comparison with respect to their effect on soil properties and the greenhouse gas emission potential. No significant difference was observed between both methods in terms of soil organic carbon, inorganic carbon and available P content at 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil depths. Though residue burning showed favourable effect on available K content, there was reduction in the available N content in the 15-30 cm soil depth. Residue burning did not show significant effect on soil biological activity as estimated from fluorescence diacetate test. On the other hand, there was a significant adverse effect on soil structure and labile carbon content. Residue burning was estimated to result in the emission of 379 Gg C equivalent for India and 14 Gg C equivalent for MP.
  • Authors:
    • DeFries, R. S.
    • Small, C.
    • Galford, G. L.
    • Robertson, A. W.
    • Jain, M.
    • Mondal, P.
  • Source: CLIMATIC CHANGE
  • Volume: 126
  • Issue: 1-2
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: India is predicted to be one of the most vulnerable agricultural regions to future climate changes. Here, we examined the sensitivity of winter cropping systems to inter-annual climate variability in a local market and subsistence-based agricultural system in central India, a data-rich validation site, in order to identify the climate parameters to which winter crops - mainly wheat and pulses in this region - might be sensitive in the future. We used satellite time-series data to quantify inter-annual variability in multiple climate parameters and in winter crop cover, agricultural census data to quantify irrigation, and field observations to identify locations for specific crop types. We developed three mixed-effect models (250 m to 1 km scale) to identify correlations between crop cover (wheat and pulses) and twenty-two climate and environmental parameters for 2001-2013. We find that winter daytime mean temperature (November-January) is the most significant factor affecting winter crops, irrespective of crop type, and is negatively associated with winter crop cover. With pronounced winter warming projected in the coming decades, effective adaptation by smallholder farmers in similar landscapes would require additional strategies, such as access to fine-scale temperature forecasts and heat-tolerant winter crop varieties.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, S. P.
    • Sharma, N.
  • Source: Journal of Agricultural & Food Information
  • Volume: 15
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: This article examines the role of the Indian Punjab government in addressing agricultural diversification through contract farming. It also analyzes prospects of diversification for the Punjab state employing the 59th Round of NSSO unit-level data. The findings suggest lack of policy effectiveness for diversification in terms of market institutions and prices which has failed to fetch better crop incomes for the diversified farm households. The analysis of the latest Punjab Contract Farming Act 2013 raises questions about the interventionist approach of the government. The insights from this article suggest that the government needs to strengthen infrastructure, marketing and pricing structure, and identify region-specific crops for diversification.