Carbon Emission from Maize Cultivation in Dry Season of Thailand
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Abstract
This study was designed as analytical survey research to evaluate carbon emissions from maize cultivation in the dry season of Thailand. Data collection on resources and energy used and product produced was carried out in dominant areas of maize cultivation in Thailand, including Phetchabun, Nan, Loei, Tak, and Chiang Rai provinces. Those selected plantation areas covered 43 % of the total maize cultivation areas of the country. Following a carbon-balanced model, the three main paths of carbon mobilization were identified as carbon emission, fixation, and reduction. Total carbon emissions from maize cultivation in the dry season were found to be 77.38±20.03 kg of CE/rai/season which derived from resources and energy used from field operation. The major sources of emission from plantation activities were fertilizer application and watering process that emitted carbon of 51.04±13.81 and 8.51±2.42 kg of CE/rai, accounting for about 65.96 and 11.00 % of the total, respectively. Meanwhile, the carbon fixation from the main product produces (seed production) was 488±14 kg CE/rai/season, which was higher than that of carbon emission of 6.3 times. In addition, carbon fixation efficiency was computed to be 86.31 %, indicating that maize seed production continues to emit carbon into the atmosphere. However, alternative ways to reduce carbon emission from replacing 50 % of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer and replacing all fossil diesel used for agricultural machineries with biodiesel can reduce the carbon emission of 34.42 and 19.85 kg CE/rai/season, respectively. From the selected methods, the potential reduction of carbon emissions from maize cultivation was found to be 70 % as compared to the existing condition.
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