CLIMATE CHANGE AMELIORATION BY ATTENUATING FODDER COMPOSITION: A REVIEW

Grazing lands are one of the most important ecosystems and forms of land use in India. They are crucial for food and fodder production and deliver ecosystem services. However, particularly when used for livestock production, they are also a significant source of pollution including the greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide. Energy inputs into grazing lands agriculture, particularly fertilizers, also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. A considerable amount of research has focused on emissions from Grazing lands: how to measure them and management strategies for mitigation. Similarly, there have been a number of studies on the role of grazing lands in terms of carbon sequestration. However, less work has been carried out exploring ways in which genetic improvement of grazing lands crops can reduce emissions and enhance carbon sequestration. Plant breeding has been successful at increasing the yield, persistency and stress tolerance of the major grasses and legumes of many grazing lands in India. These same approaches have considerable potential in altering plant traits to enhance the ecological efficiency of grazing lands agriculture.