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🌿 Tracking Daily Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Rubber Plantations: The Role of Organic Fertilizers 🌱🌍

Introduction

Rubber plantations play a significant role in the global economy and the environment—but like all agricultural systems, they can contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A growing body of research is now exploring how organic fertilizer substitution influences daily soil GHG fluxes in these ecosystems. 

🧪 What Are Soil Greenhouse Gas Fluxes?

Soil emits gases such as:

  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from microbial respiration

  • Nitrous oxide (N₂O) from nitrogen cycling

  • Methane (CH₄), especially in wetter soils

These gases contribute to global warming, and their emissions can fluctuate daily due to changes in temperature, moisture, microbial activity, and farming practices.

🌱 Organic Fertilizer: A Sustainable Alternative

Conventional chemical fertilizers are efficient but often lead to high N₂O emissions. Organic fertilizers—like compost, manure, and biofertilizers—offer a more sustainable option, potentially reducing emissions while improving soil health.

This study examines how different levels of organic fertilizer substitution affect the daily variation in GHG fluxes from soil in rubber plantations.

📊 Key Insights from the Research

🔹 Daily Fluctuations Matter
GHG emissions are not static—they vary throughout the day due to changes in soil temperature, moisture, and microbial processes. Capturing these short-term variations offers a clearer picture of emission patterns.

🔹 Higher Organic Substitution = Lower Emissions?
Preliminary findings suggest that higher rates of organic fertilizer substitution can reduce nitrous oxide emissions without compromising rubber yield. These systems may also promote carbon sequestration and enhance soil microbial diversity.

🔹 Balancing Productivity and Sustainability
The challenge lies in finding the right balance between organic and chemical fertilizers to maximize crop productivity while minimizing environmental impact.

🌎 Why This Matters

With agriculture being a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, understanding and optimizing fertilizer practices is critical in the fight against climate change. Research like this not only helps rubber farmers improve soil health and reduce emissions, but also supports climate-smart agriculture strategies on a global scale.

📝 Final Thoughts

The daily dynamics of soil GHG emissions in rubber plantations reveal how small changes in management practices—like shifting to organic fertilizers—can have significant environmental benefits. As we look to a more sustainable future, integrating these insights into plantation management can help us grow more responsibly.

31st Edition of International Research Conference on Science Health and Engineering | 25-26 April 2025 | Berlin, Germany

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