An Irish research project summary found that raising soil pH reduces nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fertilizer in intensively managed temperate grasslands. By improving soil pH, farmers enhance crop productivity and help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, creating a win-win for both agriculture and the environment. Soil pH is a key factor influencing various physical, chemical, and biological processes. It regulates microbial activity, contributing to N2O emissions and grassland productivity. The research showed that applying 5 tonnes of lime per hectare every 3-4 years increased soil pH from 5.1 to 6.9, leading to a 39% reduction in N2O emissions. Over the past 12 years, improvements in grassland soil pH across Ireland have potentially reduced national N2O emissions by 95,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. If all remaining acidic soils were brought to optimal pH, emissions could be reduced by an additional 254,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year."
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Agricultural run-off and subsurface drainage tiles transport a significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leached after fertilization. alchemia-nova GmbH in collaboration with University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna developed two multi-layer vertical filter systems to address the agricultural run-off issue, which has been installed on the slope of an agricultural field in Mistelbach, Austria. While another multi-layer addressing subsurface drainage water is implemented in Gleisdorf, Austria. The goal is to develop a drainage filter system to retain water and nutrients. Both multi-layer filter systems contain biochar and other substrates with adsorption properties of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus). The filter system can be of practical use if an excess of nutrients being washed out is of concern in the fields of the practitioner by keeping the surrounding waters clean. This approach may result in economic value by re-using the saturated biochar as fertilizer and improving the soil structure, thus increasing long-term soil fertility. Link: https://wateragri.eu/a-bio-inspired-multilayer-drainage-system/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735. FACTSHEET NANOCELLULOSE MEMBRANES FOR NUTRIENT RECOVERY Key information Functionalized nanocellulose membranes can take up nitrate and phosphate. These membranes can be put in a water treatment unit. As the membranes are biobased, degradable materials, they can after use be added to the soil, thus returning the leached nutrients back for their original purpose providing fertilizers (nutrient recycling).
Because variables such as temperature and humidity have a profound effect on the activity of crop pests, diseases and natural enemies, the ability to monitor environmental conditions within a crop has always been important for crop protection.