The impacts of biological nitrification inhibition-enabled maize on global nitrogen fertilizer consumption and greenhouse gas emissions

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:This paper presents a novel ex ante assessment of BNI maize's environmental benefits, offering a method for evaluating trait-based mitigation options.

🏢実務担当者:Agribusiness and fertilizer companies can use these findings to assess the market potential of BNI seed products and adjust N fertilizer recommendations.

🏛政策担当者:Policymakers should consider BNI maize as a cost-effective mitigation option in national agricultural climate strategies and N management policies.

Abstract Transitioning to sustainable agrifood systems requires innovations in the reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions without compromising productivity. Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI), a plant trait that suppresses soil nitrification through root-exuded inhibitory compounds, offers a novel pathway for reducing nitrogen (N) losses and associated emissions. In this study, a spatially explicit, ex ante assessment of the potential environmental benefits of BNI maize under three global fertilizer management scenarios is conducted using a partial life cycle assessment. Two BNI-enabled maize scenarios with 20% (BNI_20) and 30% (BNI_30) nitrification inhibition (projected for adoption by 2030 and 2050) are compared with a business-as-usual (BAU) baseline (BNI_0). In countries with limited N use, fertilizer rates were increased to 50 kg N ha⁻¹, reflecting regional policy targets, whereas in high-use countries, N application was proportionally reduced to modelled BNI-driven reductions in N losses. The results show that the adoption of BNI_20 and BNI_30 could reduce global fertilizer demand by 1.4% and 3.9%, respectively, and GHG emissions by 11.2% and 18.2%, respectively, relative to those in the BAU scenario. In contrast, conventional maize production under similar nutrient management conditions should increase fertilizer demand and GHG emissions by 3.5% and 3.4% in 2030, respectively, and by 3.2% and 3.1% in 2050, respectively. Relative to conventional maize, BNI_20 and BNI_30 could reduce N demand by 4.9% and 7.2%, respectively, and GHG emissions by 14.5% and 21.4%, respectively. 
These findings highlight the potential of BNI-enabled maize to significantly contribute to climate change mitigation in agriculture, particularly when it is integrated with national fertilizer policies that manage N use, food security, soil health, and environmental protection. To promote the effective implementation of this technology, developing deployment pathways for BNI traits in maize should be prioritized as part of broader strategies for sustainable intensification and low-emission farming.


• crossref https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ae7d42first seen 2026-06-16 05:26:43