Furrow Tillage Rice Method Cuts CO2 Emissions by 40% While Keeping Soil Nutrients, Study Finds

Scientists led by Imperial College London have developed a rice farming method called Furrow Tillage (FT) that reduces daily CO2 emissions by roughly 40% compared to conventional deep tillage. Tested across 12 sites in West Bengal's Nadia district over 2022 and 2023, FT produced 3.94 to 4.38 grams of carbon per square meter per day, approaching the low emissions of no-tillage farming. Unlike no-tillage, FT also preserved soil nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at levels close to conventional methods. The method is designed for waterlogged rice paddies common in Asia's Gangetic plains. Researchers estimate that converting 30% of conventionally tilled puddled-rice fields in South and Southeast Asia to FT could significantly cut regional agricultural CO2 output. India alone produces over 27% of global rice, so the potential impact is substantial. The study was published in the journal Advanced Science and involved eight research institutions from the UK, India, and South Korea.