Assessment of land use systems for CO2 sequestration, carbon credit potential, and income security in Vindhyan region, India

Abstract Land‐use systems (LUSs) in the agriculture urgently need to be revised to reduce greenhouse gases emissions (GHGs), and promote long‐term sustainability. This study aimed to estimate the highest amount of CO 2 sequestration, carbon (C) stocks, and credit potential to mitigate climate change, and importantly identify a more sustainable LUS for income security, which can be easily adopted by farmers. The experiment was executed with the current year six LUSs: (1) legumes cereal wheat (Triticum aestivum) ‐based LUS (LCBLUS) ; (2) vegetable (cabbage ‐ Brassica oleracea varcapitata) ‐based LUS (VBLUS) (farmer field) ; (3) guava (Psidium guajava) + linseed (Linum usitatissimum) ‐based LUS (GLBLUS) ; (4) custard apple (Annona reticulata) + barley (Hordeum vulgare) ‐based LUS (CABBLUS) ; (5) bael (Aegle marmelos) + mustard (Brassica juncea) ‐based LUS (BMBLUS), and (6) teak (Tectona grandis) ‐based forest LUS (TBFLUS) with four‐times replicated in a randomized block design (RBD). The soil samples were collected at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depths from the study area at the start, and end of the experiment. Results revealed that the mean value of a bulk density (ρ b) and particle density (ρ d) was ranged from 1. 38–1. 54 Mg m −3 and 2. 40–2. 65 Mg m −3, respectively. The mean value of pH and EC was ranged from 4. 49–5. 84 and 0. 07–0. 21 dsm ‐1, respectively. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was ranged from 0. 48%–0. 76% and the total NPK stock range was from 51. 69–58. 97 Mgha ‐1. The biomass accumulation, C stock, sequestration potential, and credit for six LUSs were ranged from 9. 39–75. 82, 4. 69–37. 91, 17. 23–139. 93 Mgha ‐1, and 689–5565 USha ‐1, respectively. The highest biomass accumulation, C stock, sequestration, and credit potential were observed under TBFLUS and the lowest under LCBLUS. The highest estimated market price was 5583. 14 USha ‐1 from BMBLUS, followed by CABBLUS (5284. 42 USha ‐1), GLBLUS (5121. 70 USha ‐1), and VBLUS (4198. 40 USha ‐1). While the minimum price market price was 969. 83 USha ‐1 recorded from LCBLUS. According to the results of this experiment, the TBFLUS had the highest soil enrichment, maximum C storage, and CO 2 sequestration capacity among all the LUSs.