Impact of crop residue burning alternatives on soil carbon dynamics and air quality improvement

Abstract

While farmers across the Indo-Gangetic Plain burn 23 million tonnes of rice straw annually, their counterparts in temperate Europe face similar residue management dilemmas with wheat and barley stubble. This research compared five residue management alternatives—in-situ incorporation, composting, biochar conversion, surface mulching, and bioenergy harvest—against open burning for their effects on soil organic carbon, particulate matter emissions (PM2.5), and crop yield over three years (2020-2023) at the University of Reading Crops Research Unit. Biochar conversion increased soil carbon by 38.4% while eliminating PM2.5 emissions. In-situ incorporation raised SOC by 22.7% but generated no air quality concern. These findings demonstrate that profitable alternatives to residue burning exist and can simultaneously rebuild soil carbon and protect air quality.