Effects of steel slag application on greenhouse gas emissions and crop yield over multiple growing seasons in a subtropical paddy field in China

•We studied the effects of steel slag on CH4 and N2O emissions in a China rice croplands.•Steel slag reduced CH4 and N2O emissions by 56% and 98%, respectively.•Steel slag at 8Mgha−1 increased crop yields by 9.1%.•Steel slag had no relevant effect on rice and soil concentrations of heavy metals.•Steel slag can be an effective tool for reducing greenhouse gases emissions. Asia is responsible for over 90% of the world's rice production and hence plays a key role in safeguarding food security. With China being one of the major global producers and consumers of rice, achieving a sustainable balance in maximizing crop productivity and minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields in this country becomes increasingly important. This study examined the effects of applying steel slag, a residual product derived from the steel industry, on crop yield and CH4 and N2O emissions over multiple growing seasons in a Chinese subtropical paddy field. Average CH4 emission was considerably higher during the periods of rice crop growth compared to that during the periods of fallowing and vegetable crop growth, regardless of the amount of steel slag applied. When compared to the controls, significantly lower mean emissions of CH4 (1.03 vs. 2.34mgm−2h−1) and N2O (0.41 vs. 32.43μgm−2h−1) were obtained in plots with slag addition at a rate of 8Mgha−1 over the study period. The application of slag at 8Mgha−1 increased crop yields by 4.2 and 9.1% for early and late rice crops, respectively, probably due to the higher availability of inorganic nutrients such as silicates and calcium from the slag. Slag addition had no significant effect on the concentrations of heavy metals in either the soil or the rice grains, although a slight increase in the levels of manganese and cobalt in the soil and a decrease in the levels of manganese and zinc in the rice grains were observed. Our results demonstrate the potential of steel slag as a soil amendment in enhancing crop yield and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in subtropical paddy fields in China, while posing no adverse short-term impacts on the concentrations of heavy metals in the soil or the rice grains. However, long-term implications of this management practice and the cost/benefit remain unknown, so further studies to assess the suitability at large scale are warranted.