Row-Crop Production Practices Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

One of the grand challenges facing humankind is meeting projected demands for agricultural products in a world undergoing global climate change. As demands increase for the reliable and environmentally responsible supply of food and fiber, how management is adapted to meet these demands will determine the sustainability and climate change mitigation potential of row-crop production systems. This chapter addresses direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural soils resulting from row-crop production practices. The chapter is focused on globally dominant grain cropping systems (maize, wheat, rice) and on identifying agronomic management practices that help reduce GHG emissions, increase SOC sequestration, and subsequently improve soil health.