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Calibrated Passive Sampling - Multi-plot Field Measurements of NH3 Emissions with a Combination of Dynamic Tube Method and Passive Samplers
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Quantifying environmental co-benefits of nitrogen-based crop restructuring and its implications on India's interstate
Shekhar Sharan Goyal1,2, Rohini Kumar3, Udit Bhatia4,5
1Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Nature Communications
|August 4, 2026
Summary
Integrating nutrient management into crop restructuring in India significantly reduces nitrogen surplus and water use while maintaining food production. This strategy offers substantial socio-environmental benefits and enhances trade networks.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Food Systems Analysis
Background:
- Food systems face complex sustainability challenges.
- Indian agriculture requires strategies to balance productivity, resource use, and environmental impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate crop-restructuring pathways for the Indian agricultural system.
- To integrate nutrient, water, greenhouse gas, economic, and trade network accounting.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of crop restructuring strategies focusing on nitrogen and water.
- Integration of multiple accounting methods including nutrient, water, GHG emissions, economics, and trade networks.
Main Results:
- Nitrogen-focused restructuring reduced nitrogen surplus by 13.4% and water use by 18.6%.
- This approach maintained calorie production, improved cereal net returns, and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 8.7%.
- Nitrogen-focused strategy yielded 4.6-fold greater co-benefits than water-focused, reducing nitrogen pollution costs by $1.19 billion USD and expanding alternative-cereal trade.
Conclusions:
- Integrating nutrient management into crop restructuring is key for food system sustainability in India.
- This approach offers significant socio-environmental benefits and economic advantages.
- The findings are applicable to other resource-constrained agricultural systems globally.
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