The effect of nitrification inhibitor on N2O, NO and N2 emissions under different soil moisture levels in a permanent grassland soil

Summary

This field study examined the efficacy of nitrification inhibitors in reducing gaseous nitrogen losses from permanent grassland soil under contrasting moisture conditions. Nitrification inhibitors are chemical additives intended to suppress the conversion of ammonia to nitrate, thereby reducing nitrous oxide emissions—a potent greenhouse gas. The research suggests that the effectiveness of such inhibitors varies with soil water availability, with implications for their use in mitigating emissions from grazed and fertilised grasslands.

UK applicability

The findings are directly applicable to UK grassland management, where nitrification inhibitors are increasingly considered as a mitigation tool in livestock systems. Understanding how soil moisture—which varies seasonally and regionally across the UK—influences inhibitor performance is valuable for optimising their use and predicting their environmental benefit under British climatic conditions.

Key measures

N2O, NO, and N2 gas emissions (likely in mg m⁻² or similar flux units); soil moisture levels; nitrification inhibitor application rates and effects

Outcomes reported

The study measured emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO), and dinitrogen (N2) from a permanent grassland soil treated with a nitrification inhibitor across varying soil moisture conditions. The research evaluated how nitrification inhibitors affect the rate and composition of gaseous nitrogen losses under different hydrological regimes.

Topic tags