The Nutrient Management TWG focused on the potential to mitigate GHG emissions, including CO2 and N2O, through select agricultural nutrient management practices. This TWG produced two reports, one focused on the use of biostimulants in agriculture and another focused on enhanced efficiency fertilizers. Fertilizer application and associated nutrient management practices accounts for a significant portion of GHG emissions from agriculture. Reduction in application rate and new technologies like enhanced efficiency fertilizers and biostimulants are one of the most important forms of GHG reductions available within agricultural systems.

The biostimulants report reviews the state of knowledge on GHG mitigation potential of select biostimulants (also referred to as bioamendments). The authors examine the impacts on N2O and carbon sequestration through biostimulants technologies and identify the need for expanded long term research to understand the large suite of biostimulants products.

The enhanced efficiency fertilizer report synthesizes existing systematic reviews to assess the effectiveness of EEFs in reducing reactive nitrogen losses and effects on yield in temperate corn systems, especially those relevant to the U.S. Midwest.

The Nutrient Management Group is also developing a research prospectus to lay out the data collection and research necessary for a comprehensive scientific understanding of the impacts of nutrient mangement on GHG emissions across geographies and production systems. This would be stakeholder-informed research geared towards establishing a scientific foundation for provision of technical guidance to achieve GHG mitigation.

Summary

TWG MEMBERS

• Justin Baker (chair), North Carolina State

• Heather Darby, University of Vermont

• Matt Ruark, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Mike Badzmierowski, World Resources Institute

• Mike Castellano, Iowa State University

• Sylvie Brouder, Purdue University

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

• Monica Schauer, Research Director, Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison