Carbon sequestration potential of soils under maize production in irrigated agriculture of the Punjab Province of Pakistan

Carbon sequestration (CS) potential of maize cultivation in Irrigated Agriculture of Punjab - Pakistan (IAP) is unknown. Carbon sequestration potential of maize crop in a representative IAP region of Faisalabad division was determined. Base values of soil carbon were achieved through field experiments by growing a local variety of maize (Monsanto -919 Hybrid) in NIAB-I, NIAB-II and Gojra sites during autumn of 2012. The above- and below-ground biomass of maize was quantified from shoot and root sampling. Soil samples from 0-15, 15-30, 30-45, 45-60, and 60-75 cm depths were collected before and after cultivation for soil major properties and net CS estimation. The above-ground biomass C values at NIAB-I, NIAB-II and Gojra were 9.60, 8.21 and 9.61 mg ha^-1, respectively. The below-ground biomass C values for above respective sites were 1.5, 1.3 and 1.4 mg ha^-1. Change in Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), i.e., values of SC in soil after a growing season were 6.78, 7.76, 6.88 mg ha^-1 at the three sites, respectively. Using mean of these CS values and assuming similar conditions in the rest of IAP of Punjab province of Pakistan, a total of 10,497 mg of C was calculated to be sequestered during the autumn 2012 growing season in 593.7 ha of IAP. Here we can demonstrate that the results of carbon sequestration encourage sustainable agriculture and environment.