Harvesting rice straw management synergies for lifecycle environmental and economic sustainability.

Rice is a critical global staple food; however, its production is a substantial contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The burning of rice straw (RS), a byproduct of the harvest, further exacerbates global warming by emitting greenhouse gases and air pollutants, such as particulate matter, contributing to biodiversity loss and soil fertility degradation in agricultural areas. To explore the synergies of RS bioresources, this study systematically evaluates various RS management practices, including open burning, soil organic amendment, and bioenergy production, from the perspective of their lifecycle environmental and economic performance.