Mitigating Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Corn Cropping Systems in the Midwestern U.S.: Potential and Data Gaps

One of the unintended nitrogen (N)-loss pathways from cropland is the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance. This study explores the potential of alternative agronomic management practices to mitigate N2O emissions from corn cropping systems in major corn producing regions in the U.S. and Canada, using meta-analysis. The use of the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) in combination with the nitrification inhibitor Dicyandiamide (DCD) was the only management strategy that consistently reduced N2O emissions, but the number of observations underlying this effect was relatively low. Manure application caused higher N2O emissions compared to the use of synthetic fertilizer N. This warrants further investigation in appropriate manure N-management, particularly in the Lake States where manure application is common. The N2O response to increasing N-rate varied by region, indicating the importance of region-specific approaches for quantifying N2O emissions and mitigation potential. In general, more data collection on side-by-side comparisons of common and alternative management practices, especially those pertaining to N-placement, N-timing, and N-source, in combination with biogeochemical model simulations, will be needed to further develop and improve N2O mitigation strategies for corn cropping systems in the major corn producing regions in the U.S.