New model accurately predicts greenhouse gas emissions from diverse agricultural systems.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a powerful greenhouse gas mainly coming from agriculture. Scientists improved a model called SWAT to better predict N2O emissions from different farming systems. They tested the model on corn, switchgrass, and grass fields in Michigan and found it worked well. Adjusting the model's settings can make it even more accurate in predicting N2O emissions. The study also showed that changes in climate, like temperature and rainfall, can affect N2O emissions, emphasizing the need to manage crops carefully in a changing climate for sustainable agriculture.