Environmental and societal costs of maize production decrease by addressing the uncertainty in nitrogen rate...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Science
• Soil Science

Background:

• Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization in agriculture leads to detrimental environmental and social impacts.
• Optimizing nitrogen application is crucial for sustainable farming practices and mitigating pollution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine optimal nitrogen fertilizer rates for maize in the US Corn Belt.
• To quantify the environmental benefits of reduced nitrogen application.
• To assess the economic implications for farmers and society.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of maize grain yield response to nitrogen field trials.
• Modeling to assess risks of yield loss with reduced nitrogen rates.
• Calculation of environmental (N2O-N emissions, N leaching) and social benefits.

Main Results:

• Nitrogen fertilizer rates can be reduced by 12–16% in the US Corn Belt with negligible risk of maize yield loss.
• Reduced nitrogen application decreased N2O-N emissions by 10% and N leaching by 13%.
• Societal benefits from improved air and water quality range from $230–$530 million.

Conclusions:

• Optimized nitrogen management in maize production offers substantial environmental and economic advantages.
• Further nitrogen reductions, while beneficial for ecosystems, pose unacceptable yield loss risks for farmers.
• Incentive programs are needed to support sustainable nitrogen management across the food supply chain.