Deficit irrigation impacts on greenhouse gas emissions under drip-fertigated maize in the Great Plains of Colorado.

Precise water and fertilizer application can increase crop water productivity and reduce agricultural contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Regulated deficit irrigation (DI) and drip fertigation control the amount, location, and timing of water and nutrient application. Yet, few studies have measured GHG emissions under these practices, especially for maize (Zea mays L.

Using isotope pool dilution to understand how organic carbon additions affect N O consumption in diverse soils.

Nitrous oxide (N O) is a formidable greenhouse gas with a warming potential ~300× greater than CO . However, its emissions to the atmosphere have gone largely unchecked because the microbial and environmental controls governing N O emissions have proven difficult to manage. The microbial process N O consumption is the only know biotic pathway to remove N O from soil pores and therefore reduce N O emissions.

An approach for calibrating laser-based N O isotopic analyzers for soil biogeochemistry research.

Rationale: Technological advances have motivated researchers to transition from traditional gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry to rapid, high-throughput, laser-based instrumentation for N O isotopic research. However, calibrating laser-based instruments to yield accurate and precise isotope ratios has been an ongoing challenge. To streamline the N O isotope research pipeline, we developed the calibration protocol for laser-based analyzers described here.