It has been reported that N2O production from agriculture contributes significantly to greenhouse gases and global warming. How can we control the N2O release from farming?
N2O mainly coming from the nitrogenous waste/ fertilizer. if you will use less nitrogenous fertilizer than you can mitigate the N2O emissions which will impact on climate change and global warming. Emissions mainly depends on the aerobic/anaerobic condition present in the soil because nitrogenous bacteria requires appropriate temperature, pH as well as nutrient. In the temperate region emission is found less as compare to the tropical and Subtropical due to temperate difference/ degradation rate....
According to the attached report, N2O-production ist mainly dependent on moisture content and soil texture. (Unfortunately, the report is not about fertilization effects, but shows the most important (natural) influences on N2O-production.)
N2O contributes about 50% of total emissions from agriculture. Not only synthetic fertilizer is responsible, but anything left on ag soils that goes through nitrification denitrification processes. Actually, the main emitter is manure deposited on pasture by livestock, followed by synthetic fertilizer. Other sources include manure management and manure applied to soils...collectively, all the sources are aggregated in national GHG inventories under teh term ''agricultural soils''.
You can check detailed emissions at global, regional and country level at FAO, here:
Clearly, a good mitigation practice, as suggested previously, is a more judicious and overall more efficient application of fertilizer (synthetic or organic). In many parts of the world, including in emerging economies, application rates are excessive. A second line of action would have to focus on better manure management systems.
Our trials on Long-term manurial experiments evinced a low N-oxides emission in plots applied with organic+inorganics as compared to organics alone or fertilizers alone.
It really is a question regarding how much water is available for plant uptake. Given a certain level of fertilization, the more water is available for plant uptake the more fertilizer would be picked up by the plant which in turn would reduce residual N left in the soil. Bottom line .... the "best" approach for minimizing residual N2O would be to match fertilizer use to water availability.
Just answering in a very simple way what you asked:
"Soil moisture is considered the major driver of N2O emissions as it regulates the oxygen availability to soil microbiota. N2O emissions have their optimum in the range of 70–80% water-filled pore space (WFPS) depending on soil type. At higher soil moisture, the major end product of denitrification is N2."
You can find more details here: http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/368/1621/20130122.full
N2O emissions depends on soil moisture, soil structure, soil sorption complex, on amount and stability of soil organic matter and on C:N ratio (N avaiolability). Low emissions are on drought or extremely wet soils (including organic wetland soils). Higher N2O emissions is on stands with higher coverage of legumes (pastures or field mixtures), it is influenced by nitrogen fixation (also compensed). Low emissions are on grasslands with high amount of roots with high content of C.
1. Add N from fertilizer or manure that matches an economic crop response (i.e. not maximum yields).
2. Improve soil quality (carbon) to allow for improved drainage and greater aeration.
3. Apply N just prior to maximum crop growth and utilization - this may require split application, soil testing or plant analysis (see Zebarth et al. .2009. Opportunities for improved fertilizer nitrogen management in production of arable crops in eastern Canada. A review: Can. J. Soil Sci. 89:113-132).
4. If necessary, add nitrification inhibitors to slow down nitrate formation.
5. Account for soil N mineralization and from the N released from the decay of legume residues.