| Autor: |
Geoffrey R. Squire, Mark W. Young, Cathy Hawes |
| Jazyk: |
angličtina |
| Rok vydání: |
2022 |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Nitrogen, Vol 3, Iss 3, Pp 539-554 (2022) |
| Druh dokumentu: |
article |
| ISSN: |
2504-3129 |
| DOI: |
10.3390/nitrogen3030035 |
| Popis: |
The nitrogen applied (N-input) to cropping systems supports a high yield but generates major environmental pollution in the form of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and losses to land and water (N-surplus). This paper examines the scope to meet both GHG emission targets and zero N-surplus in high-intensity, mainly cereal, cropping in a region of the Atlantic zone in Europe. A regional survey provides background to crops grown at an experimental farm platform over a run of 5 years. For three main cereal crops under standard management (mean N-input 154 kg ha−1), N-surplus remained well above zero (single year maximum 55% of N-input, five-year mean 27%), but was reduced to near zero by crop diversification (three cereals, one oilseed and one grain legume) and converted to a net nitrogen gain (+39 kg ha−1, 25 crop-years) by implementing low nitrification management in all fields. Up-scaling N-input to the agricultural region indicated the government GHG emissions target of 70% of the 1990 mean could only be met with a combination of low nitrification management and raising the proportion of grain legumes from the current 1–2% to at least 10% at the expense of high-input cereals. Major strategic change in the agri-food system of the region is therefore needed to meet GHG emissions targets. |
| Databáze: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |
| Externí odkaz: |
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