Nitrous oxide is an important greenhouse gas, contributing more than 40% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. Previously, production levels of nitrous oxide from soil were calculated at 1% a unit of nitrogen (N) applied. However, Farmers Weekly report that the five-year average Minimising Nitrous Oxide (MIN-NO) research study estimate for UK arable land is 0.46% of N applied, taking into account UK soil and climatic conditions. Following intensive three-year field-based experiments across arable areas in England and Scotland and using industry data from commercial farms, researchers used models to estimate a national picture of emissions due to major UK arable crops and their products.
The MIN-NO research was conducted through a combination of 23 government, academic, farming and commercial partnerships and found emissions due to nitrogen fertiliser use in UK arable land to be less than half the level previously estimated using IPCC 2006 emission factors – which is the traditional measure.
The report also found that the greenhouse gas intensity a to...