Soils webinar: Stubble fertiliser and water management to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice

Steve Kimber, Environmental scientist soils, NSW DPI Agriculture produced an estimated 87.4 Mt CO2-e emissions or 16.1% of net national emissions in 2012. Of this total agriculture produces 58% of methane and 76% of nitrous oxide emissions. In rice, methane is considered the main contributor to greenhouse gases. Further, Australian rice production systems are purported to produce 75% less methane than other rice growing nations, with the sum of this methane contributing only 1% of the emissions from all of Australian agriculture. Steve presents results from a Department of Agriculture Action on the Ground project investigating the impacts of water, stubble and nitrogen management practices on the emissions of both nitrous oxide and methane. The magnitude of these emissions is discussed in a global context.