Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Ericulture host plants as carbon sinks: understanding the sustainable carbon sequestration potential
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Hemachandran Hridya, Natarajan Lalitha, Nath Arunima, Guha Lopamudra, Mohan Sankari, Neog Kartik
Research Articles | Published: 23 June, 2025
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Keywords: Ericulture, Host plant, Castor, Kesseru, Tapioca, Carbon, Sequestration
Abstract
Climate change mitigation strategies urgently require scalable solutions that reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. Plants play a vital role by absorbing CO2 through photosynthesis and storing carbon within their biomass. Research suggests that promoting plant growth and afforestation efforts can significantly decrease CO2 levels. Identifying and cultivating plants with high carbon sequestration potential can be a powerful tool in this fight. Ericulture is an agrobased industry that consists of rearing Eri silkworms with systematic host plant maintenance. This study investigates the carbon sequestration potential of three Eri host plants commonly cultivated in Northeast India: Manihot esculenta (Sree Raksha, Majuli Local, and Meghalaya tapioca varieties), Ricinus communis (Non bloomy red castor variety; 3 months, 3-years, and 4-years old), and Heteropanax fragrans (Kesseru). The aboveground and belowground biomass were assessed to estimate their potential for carbon capture and storage. The results indicated substantial variability among plant varieties in terms of leaf and shoot characteristics, biomass production, carbon storage, and CO2 equivalent. The findings revealed significant variation in carbon sequestration potential among the studied plants. Kesseru emerged as the potential host plant, exhibiting the highest aboveground biomass (6117.1 ± 53.1 g) and total biomass (7034.7 ± 58.5 g), followed by 4-year-old Castor (306.24 ± 45.94 g) and 3-year-old Castor (88.05 ± 26.1 g). Tapioca varieties (Sree Raksha and Majuli Local) displayed considerably lower biomass compared to the other plants. Adopting systematic plantation ensures constant foliage for silkworms along with carbon sequestration. These findings have significant ecological and environmental implications, particularly in the context of carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation, emphasizing the importance of plant diversity and growth patterns in sustainable land management.
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Author Information
Central Silk Board, Muga Eri Silkworm Seed Organization, Ministry of Textiles, Guwahati, India