간척지 논 토양에서 염 농도에 따른 메탄 배출특성을 조사하기 위하여 포트 실험을 실시한 결과, 염 농도의 증가는 메탄 배출량 감소와 벼 생육 및 수량성 악화에 영향을 주는 것으로 조사되었다. 벼 재배기간 중 높은 EC와 pH로 인한 메탄생성균의 활성 감소와 벼 생육 악화에 따른 메탄 배출량 감소가 주요 원인으로 평가되었다. 토양의 EC와 pH는 총 메탄배출량과 고도의 부의 상관관계를 나타내었으며, 벼 생육(초장 및 분얼)과는 정의 상관관계를 나타내었다. 하지만 주로 높은 EC에 의한 메탄 저감효과는 벼의 생육 초기에 대부분 나타났으며, 생육 후기로 갈수록 염의 희석효과에 의하여 저감효과가 크게 감소되는 것으로 확인하였다. 본 연구의 결과를 통하여 간척지 논 토양의 염 농도가 메탄 배출량에 감소에 큰 영향을 줄 수 있는 것으로 평가되며, 간척지 논 토양에서 메탄 배출량 평가 또는 예측에 좋은 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.
BACKGROUND: Salt accumulation in coastal reclaimed soil can decrease plant growth and productivity, which could lead to considerable variation of methane($CH_4$) emission in a rice paddy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of salt concentration on $CH_4$ emission in a coastal reclaimed soil. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect of salt concentration on $CH_4$ emission and rice growth characteristics was studied by pot test, which packed by reclaimed paddy soils collected from Galsa, Hadong, Gyeongnam province. Electrical conductivity(EC) of each treatment was controlled by 0.98, 2.25, 5.05 and 9.48 dS/m and $CH_4$ emission was characterized a week interval by closed chamber method during rice cultivation. The $CH_4$ emission rate was significantly decreased with increase of salt accumulation, but total $CH_4$ flux in EC 5.50 dS/m treatment was lower than those of EC 9.48 dS/m treatment. It seems because of higher content of water soluble $SO{_4}^{2-}$ in EC 5.50 dS/m treatment than those of EC 9.48 dS/m treatment. Rice growth and grain yield were significantly decreased with increase of salt accumulation. Soil properties, especially EC and pH were negatively correlated with $CH_4$ flux, while rice growth characteristics like plant height and tiller number show significantly positive correlation with $CH_4$ flux. CONCLUSION(S): Conclusively, salt accumulation significantly decreased $CH_4$ flux in a rice paddy, which could be useful information for evaluating $CH_4$ flux in reclaimed area in Korea.
