Back to Search
Start Over
Mitigate N2O emissions while maintaining sugarcane yield using enhanced efficiency fertilisers and reduced nitrogen rates.
- Source :
- Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems; Jun2024, Vol. 128 Issue 3, p325-340, 16p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Conventional fertiliser nitrogen (N) inputs to sugarcane farming promote gaseous losses of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N<subscript>2</subscript>O). This study investigated the effects of a nitrification inhibitor coated urea (NICU) and a 50:50 blend (N wt%) of polymer coated urea and conventional urea (PCU + U), both at a sub-recommended rate (112 kg N ha<superscript>−1</superscript>), on N<subscript>2</subscript>O emissions and productivity in a sugarcane crop. Three rates of conventional urea (70%, 100% and 130% of the recommended rate at 160 kg N ha<superscript>−1</superscript>) were also assessed. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured over a 7.5-month sugarcane crop using automatic chambers. High N<subscript>2</subscript>O emissions (> 50 g N<subscript>2</subscript>O–N ha<superscript>−1</superscript> d<superscript>−1</superscript>) occurred in the first 2 months after fertiliser application, and the variability in daily emissions was best described by a combination of pH, soil nitrate concentration, soil temperature, water filled pore space and soil ammonium concentration. The blended PCU + U resulted in 62% higher, but non-significant, net fertiliser-induced N<subscript>2</subscript>O emissions, while NICU significantly reduced net emissions by 81%, compared to conventional urea at the same rate (112 kg N ha<superscript>−1</superscript>). Net emissions from conventional urea increased linearly with increasing rate, with a mean emission factor of 2.6%. Thus, applying NICU at 70% of the recommended rate achieved the greatest N<subscript>2</subscript>O emission reduction compared to a PCU + U blend or conventional urea at the same N rate. There was no significant reduction in yield when the fertiliser N rate was reduced to 70%. Further field trials are required to ascertain whether the use of reduced N rates and/or enhanced efficiency fertilisers can mitigate N<subscript>2</subscript>O emissions while maintaining or increasing productivity in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13851314
- Volume :
- 128
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 178415763
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-023-10323-8