Carbon sequestration and land rehabilitation through Jatropha curcas (L.) plantation in degraded lands
2012
Wani, Suhas P. | Chander, Girish | Sahrawat, K.L. | Srinivasa Rao, Ch | Raghvendra, G. | Susanna, P. | Pavani, M.
The effects of growing Jatropha in on-farm and on-station degraded lands were evaluated on carbon (C) sequestration and soil properties. Jatropha accumulated and added to soil significant amounts of C (305kgha⁻¹year⁻¹) from the year one itself. Overall, a 3–5-year old plantation added per year around 4000kg plant biomass equivalent to 1450kgCha⁻¹ – 800kg C through leaves, 150kg C through pruned twigs, and 495kg C as deoiled Jatropha cake. Biodiesel C replacement in the fossil fuel was 230kgha⁻¹. Besides adding biomass to the soil, and C replacement in fossil fuel; the standing Jatropha rendered ecosystem service by fixing 5100–6100kgha⁻¹C as the aboveground plus belowground biomass. Carbon additions by Jatropha during 4 years increased C content in the degraded surface soil layer by 19%, resulting in about 2500kgha⁻¹C sequestered. Huge C additions and live root activity under Jatropha increased microbial population, respiration rate and microbial biomass C and N in soil. Along with C additions, 4000kgha⁻¹year⁻¹ plant biomass recycled into the soil 85.5kg nitrogen, 7.67kg phosphorus, 43.9kg potassium, 5.20kg sulphur, 0.11kg boron, 0.12kg zinc and other nutrients. The C additions improved water holding capacity of the soil under Jatropha as compared with the adjacent control soil which increased by 35% at 30kPa and 21% at 1500kPa soil water potential.
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