Science and Research

Publications

Peer Review Publications
  • Calvo P, Watts DB, Ames RN, Kloepper JW, and Torbert HA. Microbial-Based Inoculants Impact Nitrous Oxide Emissions from an Incubated Soil Medium Containing Urea Fertilizers. Journal of Environmental Quality (2013). doi:10.2134/jeq2012.0300.

    This study, led by researchers at Auburn University in collaboration with USDA-ARS and Agricen Sciences, investigated how microbial-based treatments affect nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soils. The treatments investigated were Agricen’s SoilBuilder, a metabolite extract of SoilBuilder (SBF), and a mixture of four strains of plant growth-promoting Bacillus species. Experiments included two different N fertilizer treatments (urea and UAN 32%) and an unfertilized control. Cumulative nitrous oxide emissions were reduced 80% by SoilBuilder and 44% by SBF in soils fertilized with UAN. In the unfertilized treatment, cumulative emissions of nitrous oxide were significantly reduced by 92% by SBF. Microbial-based treatments did not reduce nitrous oxide emissions associated with urea application. Overall, the results demonstrated that microbial-based treatments can reduce nitrous oxide emissions associated with N fertilizer application, and that this response varies with the type of treatment and fertilizer.