Greenhouse gas emissions from tillage practices and crop phases in a sugarbeet-based crop rotation.

Authors: Sainju, Upendra; Stevens, William - Bart; Jabro, Jalal - Jay; Allen, Brett; Iversen, William - Bill; CHEN, CHENGCI - Montana State University; ALASINRIN, SIKIRU - University Of Ilorin

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/17/2024
Publication Date: 11/25/2024
Citation: Sainju, U.M., Stevens, W.B., Jabro, J.D., Allen, B.L., Iversen, W.M., Chen, C., Alasinrin, S.Y. 2024. Greenhouse gas emissions from tillage practices and crop phases in a sugarbeet-based crop rotation.. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89, article e20786. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20786.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20786

Interpretive Summary: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agricultural sector is a major source of emissions that affect climate change. Novel management strategies are needed to reduce GHG emissions from the agriculture. ARS scientists in Sidney, MT evaluated the effect of tillage practices and crop phases on GHG emissions in an irrigated sugarbeet-pea-spring wheat rotation for three years. They reported that the no-till system reduced GHG emissions compared to conventional till and strip till systems and sugarbeet reduced nitrous oxide emissions compared to spring wheat. Producers can reduce GHG emissions by using the no-till systems in the sugarbeet-based crop rotations. This is an important finding that can be used not only by producers, but also for students, scientists, environmentalists, industrialists, and policymakers that are engaged in reducing GHG systems from the agricultural sector.

Technical Abstract: Information is needed on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to tillage and crop type on sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.)-based crop rotations. We measured CO2, N2O, and CH4 emissions as affected by tillage (conventional till [CT], no-till [NT], and strip till [ST]) under sugarbeet and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) phases of an irrigated sugarbeet-pea (Pisum sativum L.)-spring wheat rotation from 2018 to 2021 in the US northern Great Plains. Greenhouse gases were measured using a static chamber at 3-28 d intervals, depending on plant growth and environmental conditions, throughout the year. The CO2 and N2O fluxes peaked for 2-8 mo immediately after tillage, planting, fertilization, intense precipitation, and irrigation. The CH4 flux varied little, except for some peaks in the first year. Cumulative annual CO2 flux was 19-30% greater for CT than NT in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and 13% greater for CT than ST in 2020-2021. Cumulative N2O flux was 31-36% greater for CT than ST in 2018-2019 and 2020-2021, but 33-83% lower for sugarbeet than spring wheat in all years. Cumulative CH4 flux was 83% lower for CT than NT and 68% lower for sugarbeet than spring wheat in 2018-2019. The GHG balance was 15-23% greater for CT than NT and ST in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and 31% greater under sugarbeet than spring wheat in 2018-2019. No-tillage can reduce GHG emissions compared to conventional tillage and sugarbeet can reduce N2O emissions compared to spring wheat in sugarbeet-based crop rotations.