Total Carbon Sequestration on Soil and Plant Biomass Under Different Farming Systems of Organic, Semi-Organic and Conventional Rice Fields

Abstract

Rice fields have the potential for carbon sequestration, but on the other hand, also as a source of carbon transfer to the atmosphere depending on land management practices. The condition of flooded paddy fields causes agricultural activities to contribute large amounts of emission gases such as methane (CH4). It is important to adopt rice field management that increases carbon sequestration as a mitigation effort against global warming. This research is survey research with a descriptive exploratory approach that is carried out through direct field observations and laboratory analysis. The observed variables used were soil organic C, microbial C biomass, bulk density, pH, clay content, C rice biomass and rice biomass weight. Sampling method by purposive sampling. Data were processed by calculating total carbon sequestration and statistical tests with One Way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation. The results showed that different rice field management affect the total carbon sequestration on rice fields. The highest total sequestration was found in organic rice fields at 45.89 tons/ha followed by semi organic rice fields at 38.03 tons/ha and conventional rice fields being the lowest at 34.36 tons/ha. Factors determining the amount of carbon sequestration are soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon. The suggested land management recommendations are to increase organic fertilizers in semi-organic and conventional rice field management systems, maintain the soil tillage and application of fertilizers in organic systems and expand organic rice fields.