YIELD, ATMOSPHERIC CARBON CAPTURE, AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON SEQUESTRATION WITH AGRONOMIC PRACTICES IN RAIN-FED FORAGE CORN

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.9735725291012

• Palavras-chave: Soil recarbonization, Zea mays, denitrification.

• Keywords: Soil recarbonization, Zea mays, denitrification.

• Abstract:

  High levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere emitted by human activity have created the global problem of climate change. Agriculture contributes to these emissions, but it has also been identified as part of the solution. The physiological processes of photosynthesis and respiration in plants capture CO₂ from the atmosphere in the form of dry matter, which, through management practices, can maintain carbon in organic form in soil. The objective of this study was to quantify atmospheric carbon capture and its sequestration as soil organic carbon using agronomic practices in rainfed forage corn in the Altos de Jalisco region of Mexico. A long-term experiment with agronomic practices was used, with an asymmetric factorial design with tillage, fertilization, crop residues, and no rotation. The following variables were measured: forage yield (RendForr) and dry matter (DMY), atmospheric CO2 capture, and soil organic carbon sequestration (SOC). The results showed that from July to September there was continuous and intense rainfall, which caused excess water and symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in corn, an effect attributed to the denitrification process. RendForr and DMY only showed statistically significant differences in the fertilization treatment, with higher yields in organic fertilization. Excess water and denitrification are also attributed to the fact that no statistical differences were observed in SOC sequestered and loss of organic carbon in almost all treatments.