Development of water management in paddy fields to reduce methane emission

Vanichsan, D.; Kwanyuen, B., Kasetsart Univ., Kamphaengsaen Campus  . Dept. of  Irrigation Engineering

Development of water management in paddy fields to reduce methane emission

2011

Vanichsan, D. | Kwanyuen, B., Kasetsart Univ., Kamphaengsaen Campus (Thailand). Dept. of Irrigation Engineering

Paddy field is recognized as another source of methane (CH4) emission which is one of the important greenhouse gases causing global warming. In addition, continuous flooding in paddy field increases methane gas emission into atmosphere. In 2006, the authors conducted the research focused on water management in paddy fields to reduce environmental impacts by varying water depths in paddy field located in Mae Klong River Basin, Thailand. It was found that higher and longer flooding period of paddy field increased methane emission. The traditional irrigation induced the highest impacts on methane emission, while the combination of shallow water depth with drying period showed the lowest impacts. In 2009, the authors conducted the research focused on effect of flood conditions to methane emission in paddy fields. A flood period of 5 and 10 days released methane less than traditional irrigation, by about 33%. This paper focused on utilization of water management in irrigated farm at the farmers' field condition such that paddy fields were irrigated only when they were dry to reduce methane emission. The result showed that this measure of water management condition reduced methane emission by approximately 85% when compared with traditional paddy irrigation. This approach can be alternative for farmers in irrigated paddy field since it can maintain the same yield while methane emission is reduced.

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