Summary
This narrative review synthesises current understanding of nitrous oxide formation in arable soils, primarily through nitrification and denitrification processes influenced by soil conditions including moisture, temperature, oxygen availability, pH, and nutrient status. The authors evaluate agronomic strategies to improve nitrogen use efficiency and present biological nitrification inhibitors as a promising emerging approach for sustainable crop management, addressing a gap in existing review literature on this topic.
UK applicability
The mechanisms of N2O formation and mitigation strategies reviewed are applicable to UK arable systems, where nitrogen fertiliser use and associated emissions are significant contributors to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. The findings on biological nitrification inhibitors and nitrogen use efficiency improvements could inform UK agricultural policy and practice in meeting climate commitments and reducing pollution from intensive cropping systems.
Key measures
N2O emission rates and mechanisms; nitrogen use efficiency improvement strategies; influence of soil moisture, temperature, oxygen concentration, pH, organic carbon and nitrogen availability on N2O formation
Outcomes reported
This narrative review synthesises mechanisms of N2O formation in arable soils through nitrification and denitrification, and evaluates agronomic strategies to improve nitrogen use efficiency. The review identifies biological nitrification inhibitors as a promising emerging approach for sustainable crop management.
Topic tags
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