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REVIEW OF THE SCOTTISH CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME: A CONSULTATION

ANNEX F

SUMMARY OF ‘SCOTTISH AGRICULTURE AND GLOBAL CHANGE — NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM FERTILISER USE’ RESEARCH REPORT

Research Report:

Scottish Agriculture and Global Change — Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Fertiliser Use

(funded by the Scottish Executive Agricultural & Biological Research Group and conducted by the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh). The report is available on the Scottish Executive Website at www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange

Key findings:

The research concluded that current estimates of nitrous oxide emissions from fertiliser use in Scotland could be underestimated by as much as 57%. Direct emissions from fertiliser use are estimated to be greatest in south-west Scotland due to land use and climatic factors.

Key Recommendations:

Farmers should:

• Take into account the environmental conditions and crop requirements when selecting the type, amount and timings of the fertiliser;
• Minimise use of nitrate-containing synthetic nitrogen fertilisers in wet soil conditions;
• Install or restore land drainage systems;
• Incorporate nitrification inhibitors into ammonium-nitrogen or urea-nitrogen fertilisers;
• Feed livestock partly on cereal silage instead of grass silage;
• Plough grass leys in winter or spring rather than in summer.

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