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World food production and the evergrowing population have been keeping pace with one another in recent decades . This demand plays a large role in the increased use of fertilizers , bringing complex challenges to the forefront in agriculture . 1 In the early 20 th century , The Haber-Bosch Process allowed for mass production of nitrogen fertilizer ( N-Fertilizer ), using natural gas and nitrogen from the atmosphere . However , nitrogen fertilization also produces significant quantities of nitrogenous gases , including ammonia , nitric oxide , and nitrous oxide . 2 Nitrous oxide is the third most impactful greenhouse gas , and is produced when nitrogen fertilizers soaks into the soil or water of croplands .
Currently , there is a large spotlight on carbon capture and sequestration , but the same cannot be said for nitrogen emissions . As nitrates accumulate because of over-production in the food industry and the over-use of nitrogen fertilizers , government incentives and methodologies are finally paving the way to low-emission schemes in numerous countries . This international movement provides guidelines and awareness of N-emissions , enabling the reactive nitrogenous gases from the
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agriculture sector to be mitigated . 3 The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Framework is more than a methodology ; it is an international effort to attain sustainable farming on a global scale .
Principles of the 4Rs4 :
• Right Source - The Right Source supplies nutrients in quantifiable and available forms , ensuring the use of climatesmart fertilizers and recycled forms of fertilizer , such as manure , where feasible . The consideration of biological inoculants by ensuring the biological fixation of considerable amounts of nitrogen and its optimization is critical for sustainable intensification .
• Right Rate- The Right Rate provides the ability to address variability in crop response , the assessment of plant nutrient demand and soil nutrient supply is crucial during this phase .
• Right Time- Dynamic adjustments of nutrient applications should address changes in nutrients needed through the growing season , assessments of the timing in plant uptake and the dynamics of soil nutrient supply .
• Right Place- The Right Place determines correct spatial placement of
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nutrients that can minimize off-site losses . In addition to considering where plant roots are going to grow , the soil chemical reactions are also determined .
This framework has been coined by the IPNI , organizations including the International Fertilizer Industry Association ( IFA ), The Fertilizer Institute ( TFI ) and the Canadian Fertilizer Institute ( CFI ) have contributed to the development of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship and continue to support its global integration . We have highlighted
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various croplands around the world that have adapted this framework in attempts to improve existing agricultural practices and reduce nitrogenous emissions from fertilizers . 5
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