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The increase in emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) due to anthropogenic perturbation in both the agricultural and natural eco-systems are degrading the environmental quality. Conventional tillage (CT) and residue burning/removal exacerbates the land degradation and GHG emission, and the impacts are much more in the upland ecosystem than valley lands. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the energy budget, and carbon footprint (CF) of no-till (NT) and mulches under the upland rice ( Oryza sativa )–mustard ( Brassica campestris var. toria) cropping system over CT based system to develop a clean production technology for improving the environmental quality and conservingnatural resources. The novelty of the study is that integrated effect of NT, diverse mulches and cropping system effect has been considered together as a conservation measure for sustainable and clean agricultural practice over those of CT based technologies. The experiment comprised of two tillage systems as the main-plot and four mulch types as the sub-plot treatments under a split-plot design. Two tillage systems included: 1. CT-RI: CT with 100% residue incorporation (RI), and 2. NT-RR: NT with 100% residue retention (RR). Four mulch types included: 1. rice straw mulch (SM), 2. green manure (GM) - Gliricidia sp. (a leguminous shrub) mulch, 3. brown manuring (BM) mulch [cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) grown as an intercrop and killed with a spray of 2, 4-D, 40 days after sowing (DAS)] and 4. no mulch (NM) control. The adoption of NT-RR significantly ( p  =  0.05 ) reduced the energy use (16,727 MJ/ha) and the cost of production (INR 54,271/ha, 1 US$ = 64.46 INR) compared with those under CT-RI (27,630 MJ/ha and INR 76,903/ha, respectively). Thus, NT-RR also increased the energy use efficiency (EUE), energy productivity (EP), net returns, and reduced CF of the system compared with those under CT-RI. Use of different mulches also increased the energy use efficiency, system productivity, and net returnscompared with those under NM. The total CO 2 -e emission (CF) was higher under CT-RI (2307 kg CO 2 -e/ha) as compared to those under NT-RR (2013 kg CO 2 -e/ha). The savings of fossil fuel from less number of tillage operations and also low emissions associated with energy consumed in manufacture, transport, repair and use of machines contributed to the lowest GWP under NT-RR. Thus, the study supports and recommended that the NT-RR with BM is an environmentally safe and clean production technology for enhancing the energy use efficiency, reducing the CF and cost of production of direct-seeded upland rice-mustard cropping system in India and similar agro-eco-regions elsewhere in the rice based cropping system in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of tillage and mulch on weed growth, soil moisture storage, productivity and profitability of upland rice during 2012-2013 at Lembucherra, India. Tillage treatments included CT-RI: conventional tillage with 100% residue incorporation and NT-RR: no-till with 100% residue retention. Mulches included rice straw (SM), Gliricidia (GM), brown manuring (BM) and none (NM). CT-RI registered the highest total weed density (89-168 weeds m−2) and biomass (9.6-183 g dry weight m−2) than those for the NT-RR (75-161 weed m−2 and 8-155 g dry weight m−2). In addition, NT-RR stored (122-172 mm) more soil moisture (0-40 cm soil depth) in comparison with that for the CT-RI treatment (110-161 mm) during crop growing season. Tillage treatments did not have the significant effect on yields. NT-RR reduced the cost of cultivation by 31.5% compared with that for the CT-RI. Thus, the net returns under NT-RR were more than those for the CT-RI. The BM recorded the lowest weed biomass and density as compared to that under other mulches. Therefore, cultivation of upland rice using NT along with BM mulching enhanced productivity and profitability of rice cultivation in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]