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Site-differentiated assessment and crediting of the efficacy of nitrification inhibitors as a climate mitigation measure in crop production (NitriKlim)
Project
Project code: 2822ABS018
Contract period: 01.10.2022
- 30.09.2026
Budget: 107,920 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: crop production, fertilization, emissions, climate protection, maize, modeling, wheat, farmyard manure
Nitrous oxide emissions (N2O emissions) from agriculture are accountable for around 80% of total N2O emissions in Germany and for 45% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agricultural sector. The largest source of N2O in agriculture is the use of nitrogen fertilisers (mineral fertilisers and organic manure also including biogas digestates), which causes ca. 60% of total N2O emissions from agriculture. Here, both direct N2O emissions from the fertilised soils and indirect N2O emissions caused by the discharge of reactive nitrogen compounds (e.g. leaching of nitrate, emission of ammonia) are relevant. Reducing these emissions and improving the nitrogen use efficiency are indispensable measures for meeting the emission reduction target of the agricultural sector as issued by international agreements. Nitrification inhibitors are proposed as a robust and scalable GHG reduction measure for crop production. However, whether this is an efficient, practical and environmentally sound measure to reduce fertiliser-induced N2O emissions under conditions of Central Europe is controversially discussed by science, policy and practice. On the one hand, there is the potential to significantly reduce both direct and indirect N2O emissions by inhibiting nitrate formation and thus improve the efficiency of nitrogen fertilisation. On the other hand, scientifically robust and site-differentiated results are lacking that reliably assess NI effects taking several points in consideration: i) the site-differentiated annual N2O emissions and nitrate leaching, ii) the ecological long-term efficacy of the inhibitors and their influence on other environmentally and climate-impacting emissions (e.g. ammonia emissions), and (iii) the overall evaluation as a climate protection measure, taking into account climate protection effects, ecological risks, and economic and crop production effects.
Section overview
Subjects
- Crop Production
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants – Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)
