Organic farming of herbaceous crops produces less greenhouse gas emissions

Organic farming recycles local plant residues and compost to fertilize soils, whereas conventional agriculture uses mineral fertilizers that are mined then transported over long-distances. Therefore organic farming should emit less greenhouse gases. However the lower yields of organic farming may compromise the emission balance on a product basis. Agronomists Aguilera et al. observed that emissions from herbaceous crops in Spain were lower under organic farming both on an area basis and on a product basis, with the exception of rice due to higher methane emissions.

 

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