Davis, Calif.-University of California Davis researchers will receive $2.8 million in new grants to study the use and impacts of nitrogen. “This is one of the most important and least publicized environmental issues we face,” declared Tom Tomich, director of UC Davis’ Agricultural Sustainability Institute. “Escaped nitrogen from agricultural production affects not only the quality of our air, water and soil, but has huge potential to contribute to climate change. Many members of the public and politicians are unaware of the scope of this challenge. And many farmers are unaware that nitrogen management can save them money.” Among the grants are $1.5 million from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for a statewide assessment of existing scientific evidence on nitrogen use in conventional and alternative farming systems, including a program to improve communication about nitrogen concerns among agriculture interests; $500,000 from the California Energy Commission and $350,000 from the Packard Foundation for new research on nitrous oxide emissions in various farming systems; $300,000 from the California Air Resources Board for research on practical ways to reduce nitrous oxide emissions in California agriculture; and $150,000 from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program to measure nitrous oxide emissions from cotton, corn, and vegetable cropping systems. The new studies should improve data-collection methods, said Agricultural Sustainability Institute researcher Johan Six, a professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and one of the grant recipients. “It’s urgent that we know how much nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases are released during irrigation and fertilization of farm lands in California,” Six said. “The good news is we know that it is economically feasible to reduce these emissions. The first step is quantifying the necessary reductions.”
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain