SHIMADZU GC-2030 GREENHOUSE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH (GC) FOR A MULTI-USER SOILS RESEARCH LAB

Agricultural activities contribute to global warming by releasing to the atmosphere significant amount of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), two of the most potent greenhouse gasses (GHGs). Agricultural soils are the largest source of N2O emissions in the U.S., contributing 74% of total N2O emissions, while enteric fermentation and emission from manure amount to 35% of total CH4 emissions (EPA, 2022). Considering N2O has a warming potential up to 298 times higher than CO2, understanding the factors contributing to increase N2O emissions and adopting agronomic practices that can minimize greenhouse gas emissions is a critical priority. Indeed, a new 2022-2026 USDA Strategic Plan released in April 2022 identifies its Strategic Goal 1 as to Combat Climate Change to Support America's Working Lands, Natural Resources and Communities. In addition, loss of N as N2O is not only an environmental concern, but also an economic cost for growers both in terms of N fertilizer loss and crop yield loss, because N2O emissions are often accompanied by a much higher loss of N2 that is extremely difficult to measure. Thanks to this funding we will be able to purchaseGas Chromatograph (GC) to measuregreenhouse gasses (CH4, CO2, and N2O). We plan to use this equipment to understand various aspects of global climate change as related to agricultural activities, for example,climate-smartland management(including soybean, corn and barley with and without cover cropping) as well as tillage approaches and nutrient managementto decrease greenhouse gassses emissions.