A new study suggests that while some principles of conservation agriculture consistently reduce emissions, others can increase them depending on environmental conditions and managementdecisions.
The research analysed 422 scientific studies from around the world to assess how key conservation agriculture principles (reduced/no tillage, mulching, crop rotations) and appropriate use of fertilizer (i.e. fertilizer management) as the fourth proposed principle of conservation agriculture, influence emissions of the three major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄).
The findings reveal that the climate benefits of conservation agriculture depend not only on which principles of conservation agriculture are adopted, but also on how they are implemented and the environments in which they are used.