Effects of silicate and fertilizer application on greenhouse gas emissions in Korean rice paddy fields

Abstract Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are contributing significantly to climate change, particularly from rice paddy fields. However, agricultural management practices such as silicate application can mitigate GHG emissions by altering soil properties and microbial activities. Therefore, the study objective was to analyze the effects of silicate and different fertilizers on GHG emissions in rice paddy fields. The experimental design included five treatments: no fertilizer (NF), inorganic fertilizer (NPK), NPK with rice straw compost (NPKC), NPK with silicate fertilizer (NPKS), and NPK with both rice straw compost and silicate fertilizer (NPKCS). Results demonstrated that the combined application of silicate and compost fertilizers (NPKCS) reduced methane (CH₄) emissions by approximately 14.08% and significantly lowered nitrous oxide (N₂O) (37.15%) emissions compared to NPKC. Additionally, the rice yield increased under all treatments compared to the control (NF), with a greater yield observed under the NPKCS (158.14%). These results underscore the importance of the synergistic use of silicate with compost to mitigate GHG emissions and improve crop productivity.