Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer Technologies to Reduce Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Cropped Soils in Prairie Canada

This Prairie Province-wide project seeks to assess the environmental and agronomic benefits achieved through grower adoption of enhanced efficiency N fertilizer technologies, applied in the fall or spring. The application of N fertilizers to agricultural land, and resulting emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), have been identified as a major driver impeding greenhouse gas reductions for the agriculture sector.

Activities in 2014 included the development of a plot-scale anhydrous ammonia applicator to be used in the project. An old anhydrous ammonia applicator tank was re-fitted and a plot seeder was modified to pull the applicator cart and accept hosing and mounting of the flow controller. The whole system was safety checked and approved for use by Transport Canada was obtained. Personnel completed NH3 safety training and obtained applicator certification. All this was completed by October 2014.