NitriKlim

Site-differentiated evaluation and crediting of nitrification inhibitors as a climate change mitigation measure in crop production

Short description

Agriculture accounts for around 80% of Germany’s nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, a greenhouse gas roughly 300 times more potent than CO₂. In response to climate obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, a joint research project is investigating nitrification inhibitors as a tool to reduce these emissions, with field trials at eight sites and lab tests in four facilities.

At the MLU-supervised site in Cunnersdorf (SKW Piesteritz), annual field trials on winter wheat examine inhibited vs. non-inhibited nitrogen fertilizers through weekly N₂O measurements and soil sampling. The research addresses four core questions:

• How do inhibitors affect annual N₂O emissions across different locations?
• What are the long-term effects of inhibitor use on soil nitrification?
• How effectively do inhibitors reduce nitrate leaching and associated indirect N₂O emissions under varying site conditions?
• What impact do nitrification inhibitors have on cereal yields?

The findings aim to support productive, sustainable arable farming in line with the goals of the “Arable Farming Strategy 2035.”

Most recently the first results were summarized here (in German)