Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Potential of Rice (Oryza Sativa) Plant

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a naturally occurring component of the atmosphere, comprising approximately 0.04% of atmospheric gases. In recent years, increasing atmospheric CO₂ has received significant attention because of its potential influence on global climate patterns. Anthropogenic activities, including industrialization, deforestation, forest degradation, and fossil fuel combustion, have contributed to increased atmospheric carbon levels and disrupted the global carbon cycle. Plants play an essential role in this cycle by serving as carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems. Carbon stored in plants is largely represented by their biomass, with above-ground biomass constituting a major portion of the terrestrial carbon pool. Estimating plant biomass is therefore important for determining carbon storage capacity and assessing carbon loss associated with deforestation. This study investigated the above-ground biomass and carbon dioxide absorption of rice plants, particularly their stems and leaves, and compared carbon capture during the vegetative and reproductive stages. The study was conducted in the Water Quality Analysis Laboratory using 21 samples of rice plant stems and leaves. Results showed that the leaves absorbed more carbon dioxide (0.74739 kg) than the stems (0.64011 kg), which may be attributed to the leaves’ primary role in photosynthesis and their greater availability of materials required for the process. The findings also revealed that rice plants captured a higher average amount of CO₂ during the vegetative stage (66.071 g) than during the reproductive stage (27.407 g). These results demonstrate the significant contribution of rice plant biomass, particularly leaves, to carbon sequestration and emphasize the importance of understanding carbon storage across different growth stages.