Deep ploughing can reduce the amount of carbon released to the atmosphere. \ Carol Dunne
Ploughing grassland has received some bad press lately, due to the release of carbon from the soil. However, new research that Teagasc was involved in examined the effect of deep ploughing grassland on soil carbon sequestration with positive results.
The project examined sites in Ireland, Germany and New Zealand.
Teagasc has stated that ploughing to 40cm (16 inches) results in carbon-rich top soil being deposited to the lower levels of the soil, which protects the carbon stocks.
Dr Dominika Krol, a researcher at Teagasc Johnstown Castle, commented that these carbon stocks are effectively buried to where the soil biology is not as active and so carbon is not released at the soil surface.
Burying Carbon - potential to enhance carbon sequestration without reducing grass productivity
Soil carbon sequestration is recognised in the current National Climate Action Plan 2019 as an important strategy to off-set increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture is ideally placed to help increase sequestration, however more information is needed on the management practices to achieve this goal.
The effect of deep ploughing of grassland soil on increasing soil carbon sequestration was recently investigated in an International project across multiple sites in Ireland, Germany and New Zealand.
Speaking of the project, Dr. Dominika Krol, Teagasc Researcher based at Johnstown Castle, said that ‘deep ploughing to approximately 40cm, inverts grassland soil depositing the carbon-rich topsoil to lower layers, effectively burying and protecting this carbon stock below the zone where soil biology is most active. Simultaneously the soil from lower layers is brought to t
April 30, 2021 3:47 pm
A multi-disciplinary team at Teagasc has held the first online meeting of the technical working group for a new anaerobic digestion (AD) project.
The project, titled ‘FLEET’, is aimed at identifying farm scale, landscape level and national level economic and environmental implications of farm-supplied alternative feedstock for AD at a regional level.
Teagasc economist Dr. Fiona Thorne is the principal investigator on the FLEET project, which is supported by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) research and development fund.
This research will be the first of its kind in Ireland to evaluate the potential for AD to address economic and environmental outcomes at an individual farm level.
New Anaerobic Digestion (AD) project commences
A multi-disciplinary team at Teagasc held the first online meeting of the technical working group for a new Anaerobic Digestion (AD) project called FLEET. It will identify farm scale, landscape level and national level economic and environmental implications of farm supplied alternative feedstock for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) at a regional level. Teagasc economist Dr Fiona Thorne is the principal investigator on the FLEET project which is supported by the SEAI Research and Development fund.
New Anaerobic Digestion (AD) project commences
This research will be the first of its kind in Ireland to evaluate the potential for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) to address economic and environmental outcomes at an individual farm level using Teagasc, National Farm Survey data. The willingness to adopt land use change will provide useful policy insights and will be at the forefront of knowledge generation relevant to the energy sector.