Estimating Carbon Capture Potential of Fallow Weeds in Rice Cropping Systems

Weeds occurred during the fallow season can well perform the function of carbon (C) capture due to receiving little human disturbance. This study aimed to evaluate the C capture potential of fallow weeds in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping systems. A six-region, two-year on-farm investigation and a three-year tillage experiment were conducted to estimate C capture in fallow weeds in rice cropping systems. The on-farm investigation showed that the average mean C capture by fallow weeds across six regions and two years reached 112 g m(-2). The tillage experiment indicated that no-tillage practices increased C capture by fallow weeds by 80% on average as compared with conventional tillage. The results of this study not only contribute to an understanding of C capture potential of fallow weeds in rice cropping systems, but also provide a reference for including fallow weeds in the estimation of vegetative C sink.