Abstract

A farm level evaluation of fuel consumption and the resulting Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission in wetland rice cultivation was conducted in 40 farms, in Malaysia. Analysis of the results showed that the mean total fuel consumption for the entire cultivation operation was 59.57 l/ha with corresponding total CO2 emission of 153.80 kg/ha. The highest fuel consumption was in tillage and the lowest was in planting operation with corresponding values of 21.39 and 1.10 l/ha respectively. Fuel consumption in tillage was significantly affected by number of passes, field condition and type of implement used. A decreasing trend in fuel consumption rate of about 0.04 l/min was observed with increases in the number of tillage passes. Tractor-rotary tiller combination consumed about 14% more fuel to that of tractor-chisel plow combination. Fuel consumption rate of tractors was lower in wet fields (0.09 l/min) by about 31% compared to in dry fields. Estimated government subsidy on fuel in rice cultivation is about RM45.58/ha amounting to more than RM31 million/year at country level.

Keywords:

Carbon dioxide emission, field capacity, fuel consumption, fuel consumption rate, Malaysia, wetland rice,

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