Potential contribution of water management practices under intensive crop production to climate-change-associated global warming

However, previous studies have focused more on paddy fields, little is known as to how water table management in subsurface drained fields or how irrigation practices in humid areas might affect the global warming potential (GWP). Drawing upon experimental data from four intensive crop production sites in Eastern Canada operating under different water management practices, the DeNitrificationDeComposition (DNDC) biogeochemical model was used to assess potential GHG emissions under twelve different sets of General Circulation Models coupled with Regional Climate Models (GCM-RCM) climate projections (2046-2075).

Simulations showed that water table control/sub-irrigation and sprinkler irrigation might decrease GWP by allowing greater soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, despite increased N2O and CO2 emissions than non-irrigated systems. While drip irrigation marginally increased the SOC sequestration, GWP still increased because the C gains from the residues generated by the greater crop biomass were offset by increased CO2 and N2O emissions.