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Dual-crop basis residue-retained bed-planting and zinc fertilization lead to improved food-energy-water-carbon nexus in pearl millet-wheat cropping system in semi-arid agro-ecologies

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  • Pradhan, Amaresh
  • Rana, K.S.
  • Choudhary, Anil K.
  • Bana, R.S.
  • Thapa, Shobit
  • Dash, Amit K.
  • Singh, Jyoti P.
  • Kumar, Amit
  • Harish, M.N.
  • Hasanain, Mohammad
  • Kumar, Adarsh

Abstract

Amidst the current environmental challenges that exert immense pressure on the arable lands, adopting highly productive, eco-friendly conservation agriculture is crucial to feed the growing population. Low-cost approaches like residue-retention on permanent-beds with AM-fungi (AMF), can boost productivity, carbon-sequestration, and reduce energy and carbon footprints in water-scarce semi-arid areas. Current study quantified the crop and water productivity, energy and monetary budgeting, carbon-footprints, and carbon-sequestration of three planting-methods (PMs) and five Zn-fertilization practices (ZFPs) in pearl millet-wheat cropping system (PWCS). Results showed that BP + R + AMF (Bed-planting + residue-retention + AMF) registered 19.6, 15.4, 15.2, 20.6 and 16.3 % higher system-productivity, energy-output, carbon-output, SOC-stock, and net-returns in PWCS over FB-R (Flat-bed with no-residues), respectively. BP + R + AMF also registered significantly lower water-footprints by 21.2, 18.3 and 19.5 % in pearl millet, wheat, and PWCS over FB-R, respectively. Total CO2-e-emissions were higher (p < 0.05) under PMs, BP + R + AMF (4268.7 kg CO2-e ha−1) over FB-R (2905.5 kg CO2-e ha−1). Among ZFPs, Z4 (Soil + foliar applied Zn) had considerably higher system-productivity (17.7 %), bio-energy output (15.3 %), carbon-output (15.1 %) and net-returns (24.4 %) over no-Zn in PWCS. Overall, planting on permanent-beds with dual crop-basis residue-retention at 2.5 t ha−1 crop−1 coupled with AMF (BP + R + AMF) as well as combined Zn-fertilization may significantly enhance the system-productivity, net-returns, water-productivity, bioenergy-output, carbon-output, and carbon-stock in PWCS compared to FB-R and no-Zn. However, the farmers need to strike a balance while mulching crop-residues besides necessitating planting on raised-beds with AM-fungi and Zn-fertilization for clean, ecologically-friendly, and energy-efficient PWCS to ensure food security and mitigate climate-change in Zn-deficit semi-arid agro-ecologies.

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  • Pradhan, Amaresh & Rana, K.S. & Choudhary, Anil K. & Bana, R.S. & Thapa, Shobit & Dash, Amit K. & Singh, Jyoti P. & Kumar, Amit & Harish, M.N. & Hasanain, Mohammad & Kumar, Adarsh, 2025. "Dual-crop basis residue-retained bed-planting and zinc fertilization lead to improved food-energy-water-carbon nexus in pearl millet-wheat cropping system in semi-arid agro-ecologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:215:y:2025:i:c:s1364032125002527
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2025.115579
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