Energy harvest: A possible solution to the open field stubble burning in Punjab, India

Processing of agricultural crops for harvesting produces a substantial amount of residues. Crop residues are natural resources that can have tremendous value to farmers. These residues are used for different purposes such as animal feed, composting, thatching for rural homes, and fuel for domestic and industrial use. However, a large portion of these residues is burned in the field primarily to clear the field from straw and stubble after the harvest of the preceding crop. The problem is severe in irrigated agriculture, particularly in the mechanized rice-wheat system. The main reasons for burning crop residues in the field include unavailability of labor, the high cost of removing the residues, and the use of combines in the rice-wheat cropping system. Primary crop types with residues that typically are burned include rice and wheat; farmers in northwest India’s Punjab region dispose of a large amount of rice straw by burning in situ.