Optimizing strategies to reduce the future carbon footprint of maize under changing climate

Many countries have set ambitious goals to achieve carbon neutrality around 2050. In this context food production systems are of interest, as they contribute one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. This study assessed the carbon footprint (CF) of maize production under different agricultural management practices and scenarios based on a cradle-to-farm gate life cycle analysis and DNDC model, considering future climate impacts and clean energy use. Maintaining the current energy use strategy, under the management of residue removal, future climate change will lead to a 3.0% increase in the CF of maize, while in the residue returning system, the CF of maize will decrease by 40.9%. In the highly mechanized maize production system, the CF of maize was shown to be mainly determined by the CO₂ equivalent emissions (CE) from upstream production and in-field portions, including soil emissions and the use of agricultural machinery. Residue return plays a critical role in establishing maize's CF, making maize fields a carbon sink. The use of clean energy can reduce the CF of maize by 482.9±8.6 kg CO₂ eq ha⁻¹. Our study serves as a reference for determining the potential of mitigating the total carbon emissions from maize production by 2050.