Carbon sequestration in sugarcane plant - soil system as influenced by nutrient integration practices under Indo-Gangetic plains of India

Abstract

Sugarcane is a multi-purpose crop. The capability of sugarcane crop to sequestrate carbon into soil and plant is of great importance. Under this study the carbon sequestration in planted sugarcane and their rhizospheric soil under different nutrient management practices was assessed. As IPCC reported, that the rising temperature of earth surface resulted of GHGs emission which causes global warming. In order to stabilize the global temperature, the anthropogenic CO₂ has to be mitigated to a significant level and the surplus atmospheric CO₂ in plants and soil has to be sunk, under this circumstance, sugarcane cultivation plays pivotal role in utilising CO₂ since it is a C₄ plant having high efficiency of utilising CO₂ during photosynthesis. There is another intervention might be enhancing the CO₂ capture by changing the nutrient management practices which enhances chlorophyll synthesis by the way of increasing nitrogen efficiency in sugarcane. The different treatment composition enhances photosynthesis where more CO₂ has been captured. Thus the sugarcane crop and rhizospheric soils act as important carbon sinks in decarbonisation of atmosphere that ultimately reduces carbon level and causes the global cooling. Soil Properties and Carbon Storage: The results showed that soil physical properties and chemical properties were significantly differed among treatments due to application of different organic amendments over control. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was analysed which ranges from 0.47 to 0.67%. The different organic amendments treatments had a considerable effect on soil bulk density and porosity with significant improvement in soil carbon storage. Plant Carbon Storage: The carbon stocks in different sugarcane plant parts, including roots, shoots and leaves were significantly different. The highest amount of carbon stock was found in leaves (877.08 kg ha^− 1) under T₆ followed by roots (668.74 kg ha^− 1) in T₂ and carbon stock in shoots (422.77 kg ha^− 1) in T₅ showing that 30.41% and 107.58% more carbons were stored in the leaves as compared to the roots and shoots while in roots 58.18% more carbon stored in comparison to shoots. The total carbon storage in sugarcane biomass including aboveground parts and belowground part i.e. roots, in different treatment was significantly different. The mean value of carbon stored in the aboveground parts (leaves and stalks) was significantly higher (1239.65 kg ha^− 1) than that of underground plant part (621.73 kg ha^− 1) (roots). The results showed that the sugarcane farming practices have promising effect for carbon sequestration and consequently enhancing the mitigation of climate change impacts.