Teak (Tectona grandis, Linn.f) is one of the most sought-after tree crops due to the exceptional quality and high market value of its timber. Currently, the Indian subcontinent imports a significant quantity of teak to meet its growing demand. The growth and wood quality of teak are influenced by edaphic and climatic variations across sites, a factor that has been largely underexplored in research. The primary objective of the study is to analyse teak growth, wood quality, and carbon sequestration potential under farmland condition. To address this, the study was conducted across three agroclimatic zones of Tamil Nadu: North Eastern Zone (NEZ), North Western Zone (NWZ), and Cauvery Delta Zone (CDZ), focusing specifically on farmland conditions. The analysis encompassed biometric attributes, volume, and carbon sequestration potential of farm-grown teak across different age classes. The findings of the study reveal that among the three agroclimatic zones, the NEZ (15-20 years age class) recorded the highest biometric attributes, including mid diameter (MD) (0.193 m), volume (0.379 m3), heartwood proportion (0.239 m3), and carbon sequestration (0.683 Mg/acre).. Based on the overall performance, trees in the 15-20 years age class exhibited superior heartwood formation under farmland conditions. Therefore, this age class is recommended for teak cultivation in farmland conditions across Tamil Nadu to maximize growth, wood quality, and carbon sequestration potential.

Vetiver grass is one of the best hyperaccumulator plants, widely used for environmental clean-up, therapeutic, and medicinal purposes. A field experiment was conducted with vetiver grass and organic amendments in tannery effluent-contaminated soils of Erode District, Tamil Nadu. Organic amendments viz., vermicompost (VC), biocompost (BC), and farmyard manure (FYM), were added to the soil in different proportions according to the treatments. Physiological parameters viz., photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content observed in vetiver grass, recorded 13.53 µmol (CO2), 0.89 mol (H2O), and 38.51%, respectively, in vermicompost amended soil followed by the other treatments. Dry matter production and biomass production were positively correlated with the carbon sequestration potential of vetiver grass. The biomass obtained from the treatment T3 (VC + 100% Soil Test Crop Response (STRC)) recorded the highest carbon dioxide sequestration (33.89 t ha-1). In contrast, the lowest carbon dioxide sequestration (25.42 t ha-1) was recorded in the treatment T1 (Control). Among the various amendments used in the experiment, the soil amended with vermicompost (5 t ha-1) + 50% STCR (T3) performed best regarding crop growth, carbon sequestration, and pollutant removal.

Farmlands are emerging as a crucial landscape for sequestering carbon, while trees acting as a natural carbon vault that capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide in biomass and soil. Understanding the potential of trees in sequestering carbon is essential for assessing their role in climate resilience and sustainable management practices. This review evaluates the carbon storage capacity of various tree species, examining factors such as species allocation, carbon accumulation and sequestration rates. By exploring the existing research, it highlights how various agroforestry systems contribute to long term carbon storage, with sequestration rates ranging from 0.29 to 15.21 Mg C ha-1 year-1 in aboveground biomass and 30 to 300 Mg C ha-1 year-1 in soil. Short-rotation species have demonstrated rapid carbon uptake, while long-rotation species contribute to sustained sequestration over the decades. This review also highlights the challenges in precisely quantifying carbon stocks, emphasizing the need for advanced allometric models, remote sensing and standardized methodologies. Additionally, the potential for monetizing farmland carbon stocks through carbon credits and offset trading is explored, emphasizing the economic viability of tree based carbon sequestration. While policies support afforestation and tree farming implementation gaps need to be filled. In conclusion, trees in farmlands hold immense promise as carbon sink, reinforcing the need for research driven strategies, policy support and financial incentives to enhance their role in mitigating climate change and strengthening climate resilience.