The effect of nitrogen fertiliser on nitrous oxide emission in oil palm plantation

Authors:
Norliyana Zin Zawawi, Yit Arn Teh, Kho Lip Khoon, Timothy Hill, Zulkifli Hashim and Mohd Haniff Harun

Book:
Proceedings of the 15th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Kuching

Keywords:
fertiliser, nitrous-oxide, oil-palm, peatland

Documentfile:
ipc16p515-518a355zawawi.teh_.etal_.pdf

Summary:

SUMMARY

Oil palm is the largest agricultural crop in the tropics, accounting for 13% of all tropical land cover. When it is cultivated on marginal or nutrient-poor land, external inputs of N fertiliser are required to achieve high levels of productivity and yield. However, excess N fertiliser use may lead to negative impacts on the environment, including generation of reactive N-gases (e.g. nitric oxide –NO, nitrous oxide –N2O), tropospheric ozone (O3) and nitrate (NO3 -); all of which may lead to atmospheric pollution and contamination of surface waters. This study investigates spatial and temporal patterns of N2O fluxes in peatland oil palm plantations associated with existing fertiliser regimes in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Overall N2O fluxes from plantations on peat were low relative to fluxes…