In their research, experts from SUSTC University in Shenzhen, China, assessed ammonia emissions that are directly associated with rice, wheat and maize production and identified the potential to reduce these emissions.
Data on ammonia emissions, soil characteristics and fertiliser use practices from nearly 2,800 locations around the globe were used to obtain the necessary information. The Chinese experts then used machine learning technology to generate a map of ammonia flows in farmland.
The researchers found that as of 2018, ammonia emissions from three key cereal crops are estimated at 4.3 ± 1.0 million tonnes per year, of which around three million are exclusively in Asia, namely China and India. They are followed by European and North American countries, with the USA leading the way in terms of emissions.
