Enhancing Eco-efficiency in Agro-ecosystems through Soil Carbon Sequestration

cg.contributor.affiliationOhio State Universityen
cg.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2010.01.0012en
cg.isijournalISI Journalen
cg.issn0011-183Xen
cg.issue2en
cg.journalCrop Scienceen
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen
cg.volume50en
dc.contributor.authorLal, R.en
dc.date.accessioned2023-02-20T18:56:08Zen
dc.date.available2023-02-20T18:56:08Zen
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/128791
dc.titleEnhancing Eco-efficiency in Agro-ecosystems through Soil Carbon Sequestrationen
dcterms.abstractGlobal cereal production must be increased by ∼50% by 2050. Crop yields in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia have either stagnated or declined since the 1990s because of the widespread use of extractive farming practices and problems of soil and environmental degradation. Yield potential of improved varieties and elite germplasm is not realized because of soil degradation. The concept of eco‐efficiency implies efficient and sustainable use of resources in agronomic production and soil management. However, it is not enough to merely minimize the environmental impact. It is also important to maximize agronomic production while enhancing ecosystem services. Most degraded and depleted soils of agro‐ecosystems contain a lower soil organic carbon (SOC) pool than in those under natural ecosystems. Thus, restoring the SOC pool is essential to improving soil quality, increasing eco‐efficiency, and enhancing numerous ecosystem services. Increasing the SOC pool in the root zone can enhance agronomic production (kg grains ha−1 Mg C−1) at the rate of 200 to 300 for maize (Zea mays L.), 30 to 60 for bean (Phaseolis vulgaris L.), 20 to 40 for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), 20 to 50 for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and 20 to 50 for rice (Oryza sativa L.). Not all improved management practices are applicable to all soil and ecological conditions. However, no‐till farming along with application of crop residue mulch, manuring, legume‐based complex rotations, and integrated nutrient management should be applicable under most conditions. Global food insecurity, affecting 1.02 billion people in 2009, can only be alleviated by improving soil quality and eco‐efficiency through restoration of degraded/depleted soils.en
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Accessen
dcterms.audienceScientistsen
dcterms.available2010-03-01en
dcterms.bibliographicCitationLal, R.. 2010. Enhancing Eco-efficiency in Agro-ecosystems through Soil Carbon Sequestration. Crop Science 50 (1):en
dcterms.issued2010-03en
dcterms.languageenen
dcterms.licenseCC-BY-NC-ND-4.0en
dcterms.publisherWileyen
dcterms.typeJournal Articleen

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