Crop Productivity and Soil Benefits through Carbon Sequestration - Importance for Farm Management

Abstract

The productivity of agricultural crops through carbon sequestration was analyzed in this study. The research was located at Agricultural Research and development Station (ARDS) Lovrin, Romania. Wheat (W), maize (M), and industrial hemp (IH) were cultivated under four soil tillage variants: disc (StD), shallow scarification (StSS), deep scarification (StDS), and ploughing (StP). Based on results, the industrial hemp crop sequestered the largest amount of carbon in biomass (601.00 t ha^-1) and in soil (163.75 t ha^-1), followed by the corn crop (242.25 t ha^-1 in biomass; 66.00 t ha^-1 in soil), and the winter wheat crop (227.25 t ha^-1 in biomass; 61.75 t ha^-1 in soil). In relation to soil tillage, tillage by ploughing (StP) favoured carbon sequestration in hemp (620 t ha^-1 in biomass; 169 t ha^-1 in soil), and corn (253 t ha^-1 in biomass; 69 t ha^-1 in soil). In winter wheat, tillage by disc harrow (StD) favoured a higher amount of carbon sequestration (244 t ha^-1 in biomass; 66 t ha^-1 in soil). The results of the study are important for management decisions at the farm level, in the context of climate change.