Climate change mitigation and adaptation:

R&D for the future grains industry

Ash Wallace, DEPI Horsham

Mitigating N2O emissions

• Why N2O? Greenhouse impact & nitrogen is an important input

• Researching & communicating mitigation options for N2O loss from broadacre cropping – altered fertiliser rates, timing, products

• N2O monitored using static chambers

• Looking for ways the minimise emissions and improve productivity

Where are we working?

n2o.net.au

What are we finding?

-1

0

1

2

3

4

50N50N

N2O

flux

(g N

/ha/

day)

Taylors Lake (medium rainfall) 2013 raw data

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 40

10

20

30

Rain

fall

(mm

)

What are we finding?Tarrington (HRZ) 2012/13 raw data

0

100

200

300

400

0N 85N topdressed

N2

O fl

ux

(g N

/ha

/da

y)

01-Jun 01-Jul 01-Aug 01-Sep 01-Oct 01-Nov 01-Dec 01-Jan 01-Feb 01-Mar 01-Apr0

10

20

30

40

Ra

infa

ll (m

m)

What does this actually mean?

• N2O: the tap is dripping in terms of productivity

• Mitigation options are still being verified

• Currently little incentive to manage

• Communicating this work is difficult

• A risk management approach

•Elevated atmospheric CO2 around growing crops to measure

» Yield» Grain quality» Nitrogen use» Pests and diseases

Interactions with variety

Future wheat varieties: AGFACE

CO2 response depends on variety• CO2 acts as a fertiliser for crop growth and yield, but

The response depends on variety, season and other limiting factors e.g. water

CO2 response depends on variety• CO2 acts as a fertiliser for crop growth and yield, but

The response depends on variety, season and other limiting factors e.g. water

Wheat cultivar % increase

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Drysdale 20 32

Gladius 22

H45 26 23 35

Hartog 0 14

Janz 19 31 29 9 16 30

Silverstar 37 14 34 25

Yitpi 18 20 35 44 3 19

Mean 18 25 26 24 21 26

CO2 response depends on variety• CO2 acts as a fertiliser for crop growth and yield, but

The response depends on variety, season and other limiting factors e.g. water

Wheat cultivar % increase

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Drysdale 20 32

Gladius 22

H45 26 23 35

Hartog 0 14

Janz 19 31 29 9 16 30

Silverstar 37 14 34 25

Yitpi 18 20 35 44 3 19

Mean 18 25 26 24 21 26

Grain Quality - Protein

• Decreased protein in cereals – not pulses• Higher yields with same N supply• Possibly also changing N use efficiency• Numbers change from year to year (reductions of up to 8%)

Modelling the climate effect

IPCC A1Fi scenario, CSIRO CCAM Mark 3, present-day long-season cv.

eCO2 = yield increaseseCO2 + increased temperature + reduced rainfall = yield increases and decreases

Next steps

Thankyou

Farmer collaborators and colleagues who make it happen