Potential soil organic carbon sequestration vis-a-vis methane emission in lowland rice agroecosystem

Mitigating the atmospheric greenhouse effect while enhancing the inherent soil quality and productive capacity is possible through soil carbon (C) sequestration, which has a significant potential to counteract the adverse effects of agroecosystem level C emission through natural and anthropogenic means. Although rice is the most important food in India, feeding more than 60% of the country's population, it is commonly blamed for significant methane (CH₄) emissions that accelerate climate change. Higher initial soil organic matter concentrations would create more CH₄ under the flooded soil conditions, as reducible soil C is a prerequisite for CH₄ generation. In India, rice is generally cultivated in lowlands under continuous flooding. Less extensive organic matter breakdown in lowland rice agroecosystems often significantly impacts the dynamics of soil active and passive C pools. Change from conventional to conservation agriculture might trap a significant quantity of SOC. The study aims to investigate the potential of rice-based soils to sequester C and reduce the accelerated greenhouse effects through modified farming practices, such as crop residue retention, crop rotation, organic farming, varietal selection, conservation agriculture, integrated nutrient management, and water management. Overall, lowland rice agroecosystems can sequester significant amounts of SOC, but this potential must be balanced against the potential for CH₄ emissions. Management practices that reduce CH₄ emissions while increasing soil C sequestration should be promoted and adopted to maximize the sustainability of rice agroecosystems. This review is important for understanding the effectiveness of the balance between SOC sequestration and CH₄ emissions in lowland rice agroecosystems for adopting sustainable agricultural practices in the context of climate change.