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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp3 (2026): Climate-Weed Nexus: Innovations for Sustainable Farming (CWIS 2025)

Crop residue recycling in rice-based cropping systems for soil health restoration and climate stabilisation in humid tropics

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13511
Submitted
3 January 2026
Published
04-06-2026

Abstract

Soil carbon dynamics and sequestration potential are indicators of both climate change mitigation and soil health restoration. Carbon source-sink relationships in rice-based cropping systems strongly influence nutrient availability and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. A field experiment was conducted at Integrated Farming System Research Station, Karamana, Kerala Agricultural University, to assess carbon dynamics under 8 different rice-based cropping sequences designed for soil health improvement, family nutrition, livestock feed supply and income generation. The conventional rice-fallow-fallow system served as the control. Soil samples collected at 3 depths (0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm) after seasonal crop residue incorporation were analysed for total organic carbon (TOC), carbon pools (labile and non-labile), particulate organic carbon (POC), water-soluble carbon (WSC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC). Carbon fractions consistently declined with depth (0–15 cm > 15–30 cm > 30–45 cm), reflecting reduced organic inputs and microbial activity. Among the sequences, the soil health-oriented system T3 (rice-bush cowpea-groundnut + daincha) recorded the highest TOC (6.27 %), organic carbon (1.38 %) and MBC (326.48 mg kg-1), while T4 (rice + daincha-rice + daincha-redgram + groundnut) achieved highest WSC (84.52 mg kg-1) and POC (4.11 %). The income-oriented system T9 (rice-sweet potato-cucumber) ranked second for most carbon pools and attained the highest carbon management index (290.48). Notably, T9 also achieved a net negative GHG balance (-11920 kg CO₂ equivalent), underscoring the role of bioresource incorporation in enhancing soil carbon sequestration, improving soil health and strengthening climate resilience.

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