Page 309 - Refining Biomass Residues for Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts

278 Refining Biomass Residues for Sustainable Energy and Bioproducts

Figure 13.2 Cultivation of rice and fate of postharvest rice crop residues: (A) rice crops
under cultivation, (B) rice field after harvest, (C) open burning of rice residues on field, (D)
collection of rice straws, (E) rice straws being used for thatching of houses, and (F) rice
residues being used as a cattle feed.

form a major part of these residues (IARI, 2012; Bhattacharyya et al., 2015; Jain
et al., 2014). Rice residue, one of the most generous agrarian biomass obtained after
paddy cultivation is an essential part to follow up on (Shafie, 2016; Shiun, 2012).
Open burning of rice residues is of common practice in Asia (Singh et al., 2008)
and especially in India (Sarkar et al., 1999; Gupta et al., 2004). Such a practice of
burning the postharvest rice crop residue is quite common in the north western
states of India, especially in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh (Singh et al.,
2008; Singh et al., 2011; Badarinath et al., 2008; Roy and Kaur, 2016). Satellite
data reveal that about 12.68 million hectare of paddy area in Punjab and 2.08 mil-
lion hectare of paddy area in Haryana are burnt each and every year (Yadav et al.,
2014a,b). Out of 83% of crop residues generated in India in a year, approximately