News Agriculture

Fertilizer produces far more greenhouse gas than expected

Farmers’ overuse of nitrogenous additives may explain puzzling emissions

ENRICHED EMISSIONS  Extra nitrogen-based fertilizer on crops such as corn could lead to more emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, than scientists have estimated.

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By Beth Mole

- More than 2 years ago

With an overload of fertilizer, soil microbes on farms may belch unexpectedly high levels of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas with 300 times as much heat-trapping power as carbon dioxide.