Parameters affecting methane emission from paddy fields

Abstract

Methane emission from paddy fields in India has been studies at four different locations, viz. New Delhi, Karnal, Dehradun and Hyderabad, having widely different environmental and soil parameters. The emission rates have been found to vary considerably depending on soil characteristics and soil temperature. Methane emission from different paddy varieties grown under similar soil parameters indicates a variation by an order of magnitude. First order methane budget estimates from the Indian paddy fields indicate a maximum release of 3 to 9 Tg of methane per year which is only 6% of the global methane budget due to paddy cultivation.