Comparison of Methane Emissions on Soil Texture in Korean Paddy Fields

Abstract

Rice paddy fields are the major source of methane emission, which is the decomposition product of organic matter under highly anaerobic condition. Methane emission from paddy fields is the results of biological and physicochemical processes affected by various factors such as agricultural techniques, climate, and soil properties. This study aimed to investigate the methane emissions from soils of varying textures in paddy soil. Soil clay content and particle distribution affect soil physicochemical properties and permeability. In addition, methane emission and soil texture are considered to be directly related. In this study, sandy loam (SL) and sandy clay loam (SCL) fields were investigated. The total cultivation period was 132 days and Shindongjin rice (Mid-late maturing one) was used as the test variety. Methane emission rates were monitored once weekly during rice cultivation using a closed chamber method. At the early growth stage, methane emission from SL soil was higher than that from SCL soil. After 100 days of growth, methane production under each condition almost undetectable. The average daily methane emissions were 5.41 and 6.16 kg ha-1day-1in SCL and SL soil, respectively.