Emission sources of methane and nitrous oxide from soybean-corn system in Mato Grosso and Rondonia States

• Grant number: 11/03055-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Brigitte Josefine Feigl
• Grantee: Brigitte Josefine Feigl
• Host Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carlos Alberto Labate ; Carlos Alberto Martinez y Huaman ; Carlos Clemente Cerri ; Gregori da Encarnação Ferrão

Abstract

The atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) has been growing significantly since meddle XVIII century, after industrial revolution. Nowadays, major part of Brazilian emissions is related to deforestation (slash-and-burn) and land-use change processes. The replacement of natural vegetation, pushed by the growing demand of the international market for soybean, has been happening more intensively in the southwest region of Brazilian Amazon, mainly in Mato Grosso and Rondônia States. This proposal assumes that GHG emission rate of the agricultural expansion area is more intense as usually measured, since the gases evolution during transpiration of soil/plant system is not considered. The goal of this research work is the estimation of GHG emission of soybean and maize plants cultivated in Mato Grosso and Rondonia States. The achieved value will represent the sum of emissions originated from plant's transpiration processes, losses from soil by diffusion and emissions due to plant litter decomposition. Selection of the areas, experiment installation and work development will be performed according to the methodology proposed by IPCC (2006) for the preparation of GHG emission inventories. This will permit the characterization of the regional emissions during the different stages of plant development. The obtained information will refine GHG emission inventories and subsidize decisions aiming the reduction of GHG emission rates. (AU)