Fertilizer Decisions Affect Methane Released from Soil

The Problem

​Greenhouse gases are a byproduct of modern life, including farming. While only a small fraction of greenhouse gases are attributed to agriculture, research can help producers make informed decisions when it comes to fertilizer use.

The Research

In his work quantifying some of the variables involved in methane production in rice growth, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher Kris Brye found that fields fertilized with ammonium sulfate emitted significantly less methane than those fertilized with urea or pelletized poultry litter.

Brye, professor of applied soil physics and pedology in the department of crop, soil, and environmental sciences, also found that the difference in methane emission made by fertilizer choice in rice production was significantly greater in silt loam soils than in clay soils.

The difference came down to microorganisms known as “methanogens,” which feed on carbon and produce methane. These organisms prefer the anaerobic brought on by flood conditions – as is found in rice production.

Brye’s research continues to examine how rice management practices such as tillage, urease inhibitors and irrigation systems interact with and influence the production of methane and other greenhouse gases. Understanding these interactions is needed to assess which farming practices generate the least greenhouse gas.

The Bottom Line

As growers work to make farming both profitable and sustainable, Division of Agriculture researchers are working to give them the best information to help them do both.

The Researcher

Research Highlights  »  Environment