Using Conservation Tillage to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China Prof. Li Hongwen Taishan Scholar and Specially Engaged Professor of Shandong University of Technology Conservation Tillage Research Center, MOA China China Agricultural University

Who I am? Dr. Li Hongwen, Professor of CAU; Taishan Scholar and specially engaged professor of Shandong University of technology. Head of Conservation Tillage Research, Ministry of Agriculture, P.R.C. Senior Expert of Conservation Tillage for Ministry of Agriculture and 9 Provinces, P.R.C. Consultants for ADB and GEF projects. 12 times of awards and honors from China Centeral government and Ministry of agriculture, Ministry of education, and some provinces. Conservation tillage research since 1991.

CTRC Started from an ACIAR Project with Dr. Jeff Tullberg 1. Machines development for CT 2. Ct farming systems 3. CT / Wind erosion, Water erosion, Greenhouse gas emission…… 4. Weed control for CT 5. Measurement of residue cover rate (using Digital picture )

CTRC Only and leading organization on CT in China Main support to MOA on CT CT field since 1992

Proved the possibility of CT in China small farm land, small machines All the technology and machines are most used in CT areas CTRC

Realized double crops conservation tillage in China. CTRC

Using CT to reduce wind erosion, water erosion, and greenhouse gas emission. Dr. Li Hongwen is the chief expert for Beijin conservation tillage CTRC

About more than 50% no-till planters in China are from CTRC’s prototypes. CTRC

Want to know CT in China? Visit CTRC; With CTRC, you can stand on a high level to do cooperative work.

CT/CA in China Accept the idea of CA CT cost long time fro Chinese to familiar. In order not to make confused in the concepts We treat CA as Connotation of CT --Prefer using CT other than CA

Effect of Conservation Tillage on GHG

Double Cropping Area Single cropping area North of China 1 Study Sites

Site 1 Wuchuan --- Agro-pastoral region Inner Mongolian, 111°42´N, 41°12´E. semi-arid and agro-pastoral region, mean annual precipitation mm. Spring wheat. Tillage Residue cover (760kg/ha) Conventional tillage No tillage No cover Conventional tillage No tillage

Double Cropping Area Single cropping area North of China Study Sites 2

Site 2 Daxing ----Traffic and non traffic Beijing (39°45´N, 116°20´E). Annual precipitation 570 mm, double crops of maize and wheat Conservation Tillage TrafficControlled Traffic Random Traffic

Double Cropping Area Single cropping area North of China Study Sites 3

Site 3 Luancheng ----Double crops area Hebei Province(37°50′N, 114°40′E). Semi- humid region, average annual rainfall 550mm. double crops of maize and wheat Tillage Residue Plowed with residue return into soil Rotary hoe with residue return into soil No-till with residue cover

Results----Site 1 Tillage Effect: Significant 1.Tiilage give more CO2 flux,135% and 70% 2. At the beginning after plow, the difference is great,1.96,1.07

Effect of Tillage on Cumulative CO2 Flux

Results----Site 2 Traffic and Non Traffic Under opaque chamber: Controlled traffic give more CO2 at crop zone, 95.04±6.79g/m2d, random traffic 50.91±7.57g/m2d Transparent chamber: No Significant difference CO 2 NS CO2 **

No significant difference between Random traffic field and controlled traffic field Significant between traffic zone and Controlled Traffic a a b

Results----Site 3 Double crops area Conventional Tillage gives more CO2 emission than Rotary tillage and No-till for the whole year g/m 2, 9.63g/m 2, and 7.99 g/m 2

Experiments on Fuel burn Emission Fuel burn emission:Daxing district, Beijing Control traffic / None Controlled traffic smokemeter Speed Sensor fuel meter Machine

Result 1.Controlled traffic can reduced 9.7L/hm 2 a fuel consumption 2. If the emission of 2.75Kg CO 2 per L fuel, Then CO2 flux 87.7kg/hm 2 in controlled traffic and 114.4kg/hm 2 in random traffic.

Conclusion & Suggestion 1. Soil tillage can increase CO 2 emission. Straw return to field also increase CO 2 emission, but, it less than straw burning or breeding----- Conservation tillage can reduce greenhouse gas emission. 2. Conservation tillage, especially controlled traffic significantly decrease fuel consumption, these mean conservation tillage can reduce greenhouse gas emission.

3. Conservation tillage can reduce CO2 20kg/mu (300kg/ha) ， if 10% farmland in northern China (about 6 million ha ), then Co2 from farmland can be reduced by about 5×104t 4. If 5% farmland in northern China adopt conservation tillage with Controlled traffic, then CO2 from farmland can be reduced by about 8.3×104t only from saving fuel 5. If CO2 reduction only 300kg/ha, and CO2 price is US$50/t, So……., one ha CT, equal to 300kg CO2 reduction, equal to US$15/ha Conclusion & Suggestion

It is a new topic in China, above data is only from 2 years experiments. Future research: Influence of fertilizer and herbicide on CO2 emission; Using Biochar to to reduce CO2 and N2O emission

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