Vol. 12, Issue 1 (2023)

Author(s):
Himanshu Tiwari, RK Naresh, Manisha, Rahul Kumar, Lalit Kumar, Satvaan Singh, Sidra Qidwai, SK Kataria and Ram Pratap Singh

Abstract:
Identifying an energy-efficient system with low energy use, low global warming potential (GWP), and high profitability is essential for ensuring the sustainability of the agro-environment. The soil sustains most living organisms, being the ultimate source of their mineral nutrients. On croplands, tillage is the most important practice, which can have a major effect on the carbon pool, either negative with conventional plowing or positive, when No-tillage is applied. No-tillage practices claim to reverse historical carbon loss from soils, thereby reducing CO₂ in the atmosphere through storage in soil sinks-a process known as sequestration. Carbon sequestration and an increase in soil organic matter will have a direct positive impact on soil quality and fertility. There will also be major positive effects on the environment, and on the resilience and sustainability of agriculture. The total energy inputs for TPR and DSR were 31.5 and 22.8 GJ ha^-1 across two growing seasons, respectively. Higher energy input for TPR primarily resulted from extra energy use of the nursery beds and transplanting. Higher energy output of DSR (202.5GJ ha^-1) over that of TPR (187.7 GJ ha^-1) was due to a slightly higher yield from DSR. Therefore, DSR exhibited significantly higher energy use efficiency than that of TPR. Lower specific energy for DSR (2.78 MJ kg^-1) relative to TPR (4.02 MJ kg^-1) indicated that the energy used to produce per unit of rice grain could be reduced by 30.8% by adopting DSR. On average, GWP of DSR was reduced by 5.6% compared with TPR. Moreover, DSR had a 55.8% higher gross return and a 25.7%lower production cost than those of TPR. Overall, compared with TPR, DSR has the potential to increase gross economic return and energy output with reduced energy input and emissions.