An irrigated cotton farm emissions case study in NSW, Australia

Abstract

The primary source of emissions in broadacre cropping is synthetic fertiliser applied to farmland, creating nitrous oxide from chemical processes in the soil. In high yielding irrigated cotton production, nitrogen remains a key input to maintain yields and maximise crop returns. This study aims to identify immediate strategies available to broadacre irrigation to reduce emissions and maintain profitability. Four emission mitigation strategies on a large broadacre irrigation farm in Northern New South Wales producing cereals, pulse and cotton crops were modelled. The results show rotating cotton with pulse crops, instead of wheat, can achieve an 8% reduction in emissions and increase whole fa..