Bio-Sequestration of Carbon in Rice Phytoliths

The current investigation was carried out to study the phytolith occluded carbon (PhytOC) sequestration potential of 15 rice cultivars. The dry matter yield of cultivars varied from 62 to 115 g pot−1. Phytolith content and carbon content of phytoliths varied from 12.46 to 23.6 % and 1.4 to 3.3 % for straw; 5.5 to 11.4 % and 1.1 to 2.7 % for root; 13.1 to 24.3 % and 2.1 to 6.3 % for husk; 0.2 to 1.9 % and 0.7 to 1.4 % for grain. The distribution of PhytOC was highest in straw followed by husk, root and grains, respectively. The total PhytOC yield of cultivars was between 66.6 and 143 g e-CO2 pot−1. Preference of high PhytOC yielding cultivar over low PhytOC yielding cultivar for rice production, results in 76.4 g e-CO2 pot−1 of additional C securely sequestered in phytoliths of rice, would substantially increase the bio-sequestration of terrestrial carbon.