Evidence map of the benefits of enhanced-efficiency fertilisers for the environment, nutrient use efficiency, soil fertility, and crop production

The identification of sustainable fertilization practices is essential to reduce agriculture’s impact on the environment while insuring sufficient crop production. The use of enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) is thought to improve nitrogen-fertilizer uptake by crops while reducing nutrient losses to the environment. Here we review evidence from 26 meta-analyses and reviews selected by a systematic literature search to describe the separate effects of four commonly used EEFs – nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors, double inhibitors, or controlled-release fertilizers – on the environment, crop production, and nutrient use efficiency. Results showed that compared to conventional fertilizers, EEFs generally increased soil nutrients, crop yield, and nitrogen use efficiency, and reduced nitrogen leaching, emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Overall, this global synthesis indicates that EEFs could maintain crop yields while reducing some of the negative environmental impacts of conventional nitrogen-fertilizers. Attention should be paid to the potential increase of ammonia emissions by nitrification inhibitors and additional evidence is needed on the potential side effects on soil health, biodiversity, and water quality.

CHEN Mathilde;  SCHIEVANO Andrea;  BOSCO Simona;  MONTERO CASTAÑO Ana;  TAMBURINI Giovanni;  PEREZ-SOBA AGUILAR Marta;  MAKOWSKI David; 

2023-06-15

IOP PUBLISHING LTD

JRC132395

1748-9326 (online),   

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/acb833,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC132395,   

10.1088/1748-9326/acb833 (online),