Abstract
The increase of atmospheric CO2 concentration is a major cause of global warming. This issue may be effectively addressed through sequestration of carbon in plants and soils. Here we studied the potential of vetiver, Vetiveria zizanioides L., to sequester carbon in field plots in Bangalore, India. Vetiver is a perennial and economically viable crop growing in tropical and subtropical regions. Vetiver has medicinal and aromatic properties. Vetiver shoot and root C amounts were measured. Results show that vetiver sequesters 15.24 Mg C ha−1 year−1 in shoot and roots, much higher than that for lemongrass with 5.38, palmarosa with 6.14, and trees with 2.92. In addition the benefit/cost ratio of vetiver, 2.3, is higher than that of rice, 1.97. We estimate that vetiver cropping could sequester 150 Tg per year in India, which is nearly 46 % of C emissions in India.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chengappa PG, Janaiah A, Gowda MVS (2003) Profitability of hybrid rice cultivation: evidence from Karnataka. Econ Polit Wkly June 21:2531–2541
Jana BK, Biswas S, Majumder M, Roy PK, Mazumdar A (2009) Carbon sequestration rate and above ground biomass carbon potential of four young species. J Ecol Nat Environ 1(2):15–24.
Kaul M, Mohren GMJ, Dadhwal VK (2010) Carbon storage and sequestration potential of selected tree species in India. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 15:489–510. doi:10.1007/s11027-010-9230-5
Kukal SS, Rasool R, Benbi DK (2009) Soil organic carbon sequestration in relation to organic and inorganic fertilization in rice-wheat and maize-wheat systems. Soil Tillage Res 102:87–92
Lal R (2004) Soil carbon sequestration impacts on global climate change and food security. Science 304:1623–1627. doi:10.1126/science.109739
Langenau EE (1948) The examination and analysis of essential oils, synthetics and isolates. In: Guenther E (ed) The essential oils. D. van Nostrand Co., Princeton, pp 317–319
Lavania UC, Lavania S (2009) Sequestration of atmospheric carbon into subsoil horizons through deep-rooted grasses—vetiver grass model. Cur Sci 97(5):618–619
Lehmann (2009) Biological carbon sequestration must and can be a win-win approach. An editorial comment. Clim Chang 97:459–463. doi:10.1007/s10584-009-9695-y
Noorden RV (2010) Carbon sequestration: buried trouble. Nature 463:871–873
Patra DD et al (2004) Agrotechnology of vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides s L & Nash.). J Med Aromat Plant Sci 26(4):784–789
Pereira PLR (2011) Application of vetiver system on land stabilization and environmental protection in Brazil. In: Vetiver and climate change. The Fifth International Conf. on Vetiver. Lucknow, India. 64
Powlson DS, Whitmore A, Goulding KWT (2011) Soil carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change: a critical re-examination to identify the true and the false. Eur J Soil Sci 62:42–55. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2389.2010.01342.x
Prakasa Rao EVS (2007) Cymbopogons. In: Singh J (ed) Medicinal and aromatic crops. Aavishkar Publishers, Jaipur, pp 167–188
Prakasa Rao EVS, Gopinath CT, Khanuja SPS (2008) Environmental, economic and equity aspects of vetiver in south India. First National Indian Vetiver Workshop. The Vetiver International. Kochi, India, 21–23, Feb. 2008
Puttanna K, Prakasa Rao EVS (2003) Vermicomposting distillation residues of some aromatic crops. Fertil News 48(2):67–68
Santos NZD et al (2011) Forages, cover crops and related shoot and root additions in no-till rotations to C sequestration in a subtropical Ferralsol. Soil Tillage Res 111:208–218
Smith P (2008) Land use change and soil organic carbon dynamics. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 81:169–178. doi:10.1007/s10705-007-9138-y
Smith P et al (2008) Greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture. Phil Trans Royal Soc B 363:789–813. doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.2184
Strong A, Chisholm S, Miller C, Cullen J (2009) Ocean fertilization: time to move on. Nature 46:347–348
Taranet P, Wattanaprapat K, Meesing I, Nopmalai P (2011) Carbon sequestration and carbon dioxide emission in vetiver grass cultivation areas. In: Vetiver and climate change. The Fifth International Conf. on Vetiver. Lucknow, India. 8–9
Truong P (2000) Vetiver grass system: potential applications for soil and water conservation in Northern California. Invited paper presented at the STIFF GRASS TECHNOLOGY Seminar, sponsored by the Yolo County Flood Control & Water Conservation District and Family Water Alliance at Woodland on 9 May 2000
Walkley A, Black I (1934) An examination of the digestion method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37:29–38
Witt C et al (2000) Crop rotation and residue management effects on carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling and productivity of irrigated rice systems. Plant Soil 225:263–278
Xia H (2003) Vetiver system for land reclamation-application of the vetiver system in the reclamation of degraded land. Proc. Third International Conf. on Vetiver. Guangzhou, China
Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R.), New Delhi, India, under the project “Integrated Analysis for Impact, Mitigation and Sustainability (IAIMS)” (NWP-52).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, M., Guleria, N., Prakasa Rao, E.V.S. et al. Efficient C sequestration and benefits of medicinal vetiver cropping in tropical regions. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 34, 603–607 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-013-0184-3
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-013-0184-3