The Grass Doctor

What percentage of Nitrous Oxide is emitted by using Nitrogen Fertilizers in Agriculture?

Has anyone quantified the amount of Nitrous Oxide emission by using fertilizers like urea and if so in which location and on what crop has this research been carried out? The relevance of this question under "Global Warming" is that Nitrous Oxide is indeed emitted due to fertilizers and it is 300 times more harmful than CO2 in adding to the heat

Public Comments

1. a lot.
2. Well first of all you’re probably asking the wrong group of people but you never know there could be some expert agriculturist who is searching just to answer a question that you might find on the internet somewhere. Besides in today’s world don’t we all need something to keep us happier? Isn’t that what Nitrous Oxide does? Joking, drugs are not the answer. But anyway your cute have I seen you somewhere before? I hope your question is genuine – if not the whole point is mute.
3. Can't give you a figure specifically for the use of fertilisers but as a whole argiculture is responsible for just under 15% of the total greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Nitrous oxide accounts for 46% of that 15% and can be divided into two - 6% from manure and 40% from soils and soil additives. 40% of 15% is 6% so the total contribution to global warming from soils and additives is 6%. The above figures are carbon equivelances. Nitrous oxide is almost 300 times as potent as CO2 so the contribution by volume is very small - about 0.02%.
4. i dunno how much ag. produces, but the egr system on my car prevents NOx. also the cats. fortunately i removed them and got 10-15 more ponies. BUT i have to run a higher octance now since my cylinder charge isn't dilluted with exhaust gas. but i don't mind, IT'S WORTH IT!