The potential for agricultural greenhouse gas emission reductions in the temperate region of Canada through nutrient management planning

The study concludes that full adoption of these known agricultural practices in eastern Canada could lead to reductions in the order of 35% of the annual agricultural soil and manure GHG emissions. [...] The objectives of the current project are to review management practices affecting levels of nitrogen in agricultural soils, and using the most recent eastern Canada-specific emissions coefficients, determine the potential of these practices to reduce N2O emissions in Eastern Canada. [...] To that end, several groups of authors have compiled the results of research from across the country in an effort to determine the effect of a range of nutrient management practices, crop and tillage practices, and climate and soil type on greenhouse gas emissions or sinks (primarily carbon sequestration). [...] The potential reduction in N2O emission was estimated in the corn growing regions of Ontario, and in Quebec, an area comprising 93% of the countries corn acreage. [...] The associated reduction in fertilizer in Ontario and Quebec to overcome the over-application of manure was investigated based on a 2% and 10% reduced use of commercial N. 3.2.3 Optimization of manure N application If manure is land-applied at a time and in a manner such that N-losses are minimized, it can be spread at lower rates and still achieve the same level of plant-available N. Consequently