Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Steven Shafer Associate Administrator for National Programs

Agricultural Research Service U.S. Department of Agriculture

November 2, 2015

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

Proposed N2O Mitigation Strategies •  Improve NUE = nitrogen use

efficiency (e.g. US corn NUE*, 1995-1999: 37%)

• Source, Rate, Placement, Timing • N process inhibitors (nitrification, urease)

• Cover crops • Crop selection •Improved irrigation management (timing, application rate, method)

• Reduced tillage • Biochar • Crop breeding

*REN = (crop N uptake in fertilized plot – crop N uptake in unfertilized plot)/ (fertilizer N applied in fertilized plot)

Michel Cavigelli, USDA-ARS-BARC

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

DietaryManagementtoDecreaseMethaneEmissionsfromBeefFeedlots

Increasedgraininthedietdecreasesmethaneproducedintherumen(duetoincreasedacidityintherumenandincreasedpropionate).Steamflaked-orhigh-moisturecorndecreasesentericmethaneproduc:onbyabout20%comparedtofeedingdry-rolledcorn-basedhigh-concentratefinishingdiets(duetomoreefficientdiges:onofstarchintherumenandlessstarchinfeces).Entericmethaneproduc:ondecreasedabout4to6%foreach1%ofsupplementaladdedfat.Becauseofadverseeffectsoffatonruminalfermenta:on,supplementalfatlevelsareusuallylimitedto3or4%ofdietarydrymaLer.Dis:ller’sgrainsareonesourceoffat.Feedinggrassesoralfalfaassilage(highmoisture),ratherthanasdryhayinhighforagediets,willdecreaseentericmethaneemissions.Inhighforagediets,decreasingthepar:clesizeoftheforagewilldecreaseentericmethanelossesby5to20%.

Compiledfrom:www.ars.usda.gov/research/programs/programs.htm?np_code=212&docid=22546

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/GHGMitigationProduction_Cost.htm

Date: 11/13/15

Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases

:

LaunchedinDecember2009Bringscountriestogethertofindwaystogrowmorefoodwithoutgrowinggreenhousegasemissions(i.e.,emissionsintensitygoal):•  Improveunderstanding,measurement&esHmaHonof

agriculturalemissions•  Findwaystoreduceemissionsintensityofagricultural

producHonsystemsandincreasepotenHalforsoilcarbonsequestraHon,whileenhancingfoodsecurity

•  ImprovefarmeraccesstoagriculturalmiHgaHontechnologies&bestpracHces

•  MembershipisvoluntarywithnofundingobligaHonsEnableacHviHesthatwouldnothavehappenedwithouttheGRA

The Global Research Alliance (GRA)

Countries are members • 46membercountries:

Korea Lithuania Malaysia Mexico Nicaragua Netherlands New Zealand Norway Panama Paraguay Peru

Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Ghana Honduras Indonesia Italy Ireland Japan

Philippines Poland Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Thailand Tunisia United Kingdom United States Uruguay Vietnam

Argentina Australia Belgium Bolivia Brazil Canada Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Denmark Dominican

Republic

Partner Organizations • InternaHonalPartnersoftheGRA:• AfricanDevelopmentBank• ConsultaHveGrouponInternaHonalAgriculturalResearch

• FoodandAgricultureOrganizaHon• Inter-AmericanDevelopmentBank• Inter-AmericanInsHtuteforCooperaHononAgriculture

• TropicalAgriculturalResearchandHigherEducaHonCentre(CATIE)

• WorldBank• WorldFarmers’OrganisaHon

Research Groups

Soi

l Car

bon

and

Nitr

ogen

Cyc

ling

Cross-cutting Groups In

vent

orie

s an

d M

onito

ring

Paddy Rice Research Group

Livestock Research Group

Croplands Research Group

MAGGnet Metadata Entry Template

Worksheet Tabs

•  Experiment descrip;on •  Experiment loca;on •  Experiment dura;on •  Climate a>ributes •  Soil and drainage

a>ributes •  Data type •  Treatments •  Key Findings •  Journal cita;ons •  Primary contact

GOAL: 15 min per site

• General

Instruc;ons • Color coded

worksheets • Frequent use of

drop-down menus

Review Update Future

http://globalresearchalliance.org/research/croplands/

Ø 20 countries Ø 315

experiments Ø 8 experiments

in Brazil

•  14 unique climate subdivisions

•  11 surface soil textures

Experimental Sites Summarized

Status •  233 completed •  82 ongoing

Dura;on •  214 short-term (<1-3 yr) •  54 mid-term (>3-10 yr) •  47 long-term (>10 yr)

Common Treatments

•  Fer;lizer rate (68) •  Manure/Amendments

(52) •  Tillage type (43)

Review Update Future

Soil/GHG/Plant

parameter

Projects measuring parameter

(%)

Soil carbon 83

N2O flux 82

CO2 flux 45

CH4 flux 29

Grain 56

Stover 35

Roots 9

http://globalresearchalliance.org/research/croplands/