Dynamics of Soil CO₂ Flux in Rice Systems Under Biochar and Poultry Manure Application Using a Portable NDIR-Based Sensor System
Abstract
Soil CO₂ emission from paddy systems is an important component of agricultural carbon fluxes, yet field monitoring remains constrained by labor-intensive methods. This study aimed to examine a portable NDIR-based CO₂ sensor system and to quantify soil CO₂ flux dynamics and vegetative growth of paddy under different organic amendments. A greenhouse pot experiment with four treatments, biochar 30 Mg/ha (B), poultry manure 40 Mg/ha (K), biochar 30 Mg/ha + manure 20 Mg/ha (BK1), and biochar 15 Mg/ha + manure 40 Mg/ha (BK2), was conducted during the vegetative stage of paddy. Soil CO₂ flux was measured daily from 1 to 60 days after transplanting (DAT) using an MH-Z19B sensor inside a closed chamber. Integrated over the vegetative stage, mean soil CO₂ fluxes were 311, 391, 461, and 516 mg CO2⸳m–2⸳h–1 for B, BK1, BK2, and K, respectively, indicating that manure based treatments enhanced respiration compared with sole biochar. Soil CO₂ flux tended to increase from early to late vegetative stages and was positively correlated with plant height and leaf number, indicating a significant positive association between carbon loss and biomass accumulation. These results show that portable low cost sensors can support the design of biochar–manure strategies that sustain paddy growth while moderating manure induced CO₂ emissions.
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