Fertiliser nitrogen in a net zero world - perspectives from broadacre cropping industries
Abstract
The nitrogen (N) required to grow crops is closely correlated to the yield potential of those crops, so higher yields require greater crop N uptake. Most cropping soils exhibit declining soil organic matter, with less organic N mineralised to meet crop N demand. Atmospheric N fixation by legumes and recycling organic wastes can meet some of this growing N deficit, but synthetic N fertilisers inputs are critical to maintain, and ultimately increase, global food production.While inefficient use of N has negative impacts in aquatic environments and the atmosphere, and ~20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture are attributed to N2O, there needs to be a realistic approach to balancing N inputs for food production and minimising greenhouse gas emissions.
Professor Mike Bell
Prof Mike Bell holds the Chair in Tropical Agronomy at UQ Gatton campus. He joined QAAFI in 2010 after ~30 years in Qld DAF based at Kingaroy. He has led regional and national soils and crop nutrition projects in the grains, sugar and cotton industries, and currently leads a national project quantifying N cycling and loss in the Australian grains industry. He is also involved in developing national nitrous oxide emission factors for crop residues, and in a national project testing the efficacy of new fertiliser technology on NUE and greenhouse gas emissions.
Professor Mike Bell, School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, Faculty of Science, E: m.bell4@uq.edu.au
For any questions, please contact the QAAFI Science Seminar Committee.
For any questions, please contact the QAAFI Science Seminar Committee.
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Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation hosts science seminars across the disciplines of animal, horticulture, crop, food and nutritional sciences.
With a range of speakers from Australia and abroad, the series explores how high-impact science will significantly improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the tropical and sub-tropical food, fibre and agribusiness sectors.
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The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation is a research institute at The University of Queensland supported by the Queensland Government via the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
