Evaluating changes in cellulolytic bacterial population to explain methane emissions from air-dried and composted...

Compost application recorded ~20% reduction in methane (CH4) emission during rice cultivation as compared to air-dried manure treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dependence of methanogens on cellulolytic bacteria (CB) to produce CH4 in organic-amended rice paddy soils. The presence of more decomposable organic C in manure was probably the key factor for higher CH4 emission from manure-treated soils as compared to compost application. Manure application facilitated anaerobic CB abundance in rice paddy soils, and that in turn increased concentrations of dissolved organic C compounds like carbohydrates in soil. Soluble organic C compounds are converted into acetate and/or carbon dioxide, which act as initial energy source for methanogens. Therefore, it could be concluded that CB positively influenced methanogen activity and methanogenesis and stabilized organic substrates like compost are more rational treatment to mitigate CH4 emission from rice paddy soil than cattle manure application.