Researchers have come up with detailed estimates of ammonia emissions from rice, wheat and maize crops.
Key points
- The dataset enabled a cropland-specific assessment of the potential for emission reductions.
- The study indicates that effective management of fertilizer in the growing of these crops could lower atmospheric ammonia emissions from farming by up to 38%.
- The paper was published in the journal Nature.
- Atmospheric ammonia is a key environmental pollutant that affects ecosystems across the planet, as well as human health.
- Around 51-60% of anthropogenic ammonia emissions can be traced back to crop cultivation, and about half of these emissions are associated with three main staple crops: rice, wheat and maize.
- Ammonia is also emitted from a range of non-agricultural sources, such as catalytic converters in petrol cars, landfill sites, sewage works, composting of organic materials, combustion, industry and wild mammals and birds.
