Towards actionable research frameworks for sustainable intensification in high-yielding rice systems.

New research frameworks that simultaneously address production and environmental goals are required to identify promising sustainable intensification options in high-yielding cereal systems. Here we estimated potential changes in environmental footprint associated with crop management practices aimed at breaking the yield ceiling for rice production in Uruguay. Results from a regional survey were combined with field experiments to integrate impacts on productivity and sustainability at two different intensification levels (average-yielding and high-yielding).

[Nitrous oxide emission, nitrification, denitrification and nitrogen mineralization during rice growing season in 2 soils from Uruguay].

Microbial processes such as mineralization, nitrification and denitrification regulate nitrogen dynamics in the soil. The last two processes may produce nitrous oxide (NO). In this work NO fluxes were quantified at four moments of the rice cycle, sowing, tillering, panicle initiation and maturity, in two sites that differed mainly in their soil organic matter (OM) content, Salto (higher OM) and Treinta y Tres.