Fungicide Timing Reduces Nitrous Oxide Emissions
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Solution Overview
Problem
The intensive use of nitrogen fertilizers and livestock wastes leads to increased nitrous oxide emissions, contributing to greenhouse gas concentrations and environmental concerns such as eutrophication and global warming, with existing methods failing to effectively reduce these emissions.
Innovation Solution
Treating plants and soils with a fungicide selected from azoxystrobin, dimoxystrobin, and other compounds, along with an ammonium- or urea-containing fertilizer, with a time lag of at least one day between applications, to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If nitrogen fertilizers and livestock wastes are applied to increase plant growth, then plant productivity is improved, but nitrous oxide emissions increase contributing to greenhouse gas concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The fungicide is applied to the plant or soil before fertilizer application to preemptively inhibit the microbial nitrification process. This preliminary action prevents the conversion of ammonium to nitrate, thereby blocking the subsequent production of nitrous oxide when fertilizer is applied, achieving both plant growth support and emission reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The fungicide acts as an intermediary substance that modifies the soil microbial community activity. By selectively inhibiting nitrifying bacteria through the Qo site inhibition mechanism, it mediates between fertilizer application and nitrous oxide production, allowing nitrogen to remain in ammonium form for plant uptake while preventing greenhouse gas emissions
2Productivity
If intensive fertilization is used to support population growth, then food production increases, but nitrogen levels in groundwater and surface waters increase leading to eutrophication
Solution Approach 1:
The fungicide is applied beforehand to prevent nitrification, keeping nitrogen in the ammonium form which is less mobile and less prone to leaching into groundwater and surface waters. This preliminary prevention measure maintains food production while reducing nitrogen pollution and eutrophication risks
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical form parameter of nitrogen in the soil by inhibiting its conversion from ammonium to nitrate. Ammonium is less soluble and less likely to leach into water bodies compared to nitrate, thereby reducing eutrophication while maintaining nitrogen availability for crop production
3Productivity
If nitrogen fertilizers are applied to maintain crop yields, then agricultural productivity is preserved, but nitrous oxide emissions increase contributing to global warming
Solution Approach 1:
The fungicide treatment is applied in advance to block the nitrification pathway before fertilizer nitrogen is converted to nitrate and subsequently denitrified to nitrous oxide. This preliminary inhibition preserves crop yields through adequate nitrogen supply while preventing the greenhouse gas emission pathway
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful nitrification process into a beneficial state by maintaining nitrogen in the ammonium form, which serves dual purposes: remains available for plant uptake to maintain yields and prevents conversion to nitrate that would lead to nitrous oxide emissions, thus turning a harmful pathway into a beneficial nitrogen management approach
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method significantly decreases nitrous oxide emissions from soils, minimizing environmental impact and nitrogen loss to groundwater, thereby addressing the challenges of greenhouse gas reduction and eutrophication.
Implementation Method 1
inhibitors of complex III at Qo site: azoxystrobin, dimoxystrobin, enestroburin, fluoxastrobin, kresoxim-methyl, metominostrobin, orysastrobin, picoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, pyribencarb and trifloxystrobin
Implementation Method 2
Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth and reproduction
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for reducing nitrous oxide emission from soils comprising treating a plant growing on the respective soil and/or the locus where the plant is growing or is intended to grow and/or the seeds from which the plant grows with at least one fungicide (compound A) and at least one ammonium- or urea-containing fertilizer (compound B) wherein the application of at least one compound (A) and at least one compound (B) is carried out with a time lag of at least 1 day.