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In the period 1992–2017 gross and net nitrogen budget in Slovenian agriculture decreased. Trend analysis for this period shows that gross nitrogen budget decreased by 44 % and net budget by 72 %. Both decreases indicate better management of nitrogen and, consequently, reduced emissions of nitrogen compounds into the environment. On average, 52% of nitrogen input was taken up by crops in the period 1992–2003. This proportion increased to 66% in the period 2004–2017 and even exceeded 70 % in individual years. Weather conditions markedly influence the nitrogen budget in a specific year; in dry years because of lower yields, nitrogen budget tends to be above average. In the period 2006-2015, Slovenia showed a slightly higher average gross nitrogen budget (54 kg N/ha) than the EU Member States (50 kg N/ha).

Definition

According to the OECD-Eurostat methodology (2013), the nitrogen (N) budget in agriculture represents the difference between the input of N on agricultural land and the output of N from agricultural land with crop yields. We distinguish between gross and net nitrogen budget. Gross nitrogen budget is the difference between total input and output of nitrogen. Gross nitrogen budget is represented by the following sources: N excreted by farm animals, N in mineral fertilizers, biological fixation of N by legumes, deposition of atmospheric N, N from other organic fertilizers (compost, sewage sludge ...) and N from seeds and planting material. Output represent nitrogen uptake of harvested crops. The net nitrogen budget refers mainly to the available N for crop growth (net input). Net nitrogen budget is calculated by subtracting N that is released into the atmosphere (from animal sheds, manure storage tanks, during grazing, during and as a result of fertilising with mineral, animal and other organic fertilisers, during the decomposition of crop residues in soil and as a result of cultivation of histosols) from the gross nitrogen budget. This is N that is released into the atmosphere through emissions of ammonia (NH₃) nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x). The gross and net nitrogen budget were expressed in tonnes N at the national level and in kilograms N per hectare of utilized agricultural area. Data for the period 1992–2017 are presented. The indicator also presents the structure of input and output of N and comparison with EU countries (EU-28).

Charts

Figure KM22-1: Structure of nitrogen input on agricultural land in Slovenia in the period 1992-2017

Sources:

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, 2019

Show data


	Total N input [t N]	Livestock manure [t N]	Mineral fertilisers [t N]	Atmospheric deposition []	Biological fixation []	Seeds and seedlings [t N]	Other organic fertilisers [t N]	Livestock manure [%]	Mineral fertilisers [%]	Atmospheric deposition [%]	Biological fixation [%]	Seeds and seedlings [%]	Other organic fertilisers [%]
1992	89850	40376	38938	8338	1781	339	78	44.94	43.34	9.28	1.98	0.38	0.09
1993	81663	37815	33376	8291	1764	339	78	46.31	40.87	10.15	2.16	0.42	0.10
1994	81715	37654	33944	8064	1653	322	78	46.08	41.54	9.87	2.02	0.39	0.10
1995	80852	38560	32235	7874	1778	326	78	47.69	39.87	9.74	2.20	0.40	0.10
1996	78783	37766	31296	7702	1637	311	70	47.94	39.72	9.78	2.08	0.39	0.09
1997	80801	37392	33999	7414	1638	295	62	46.28	42.08	9.18	2.03	0.37	0.08
1998	82012	37948	34801	7364	1547	299	55	46.27	42.43	8.98	1.89	0.36	0.07
1999	82261	38645	34380	7479	1433	292	33	46.98	41.79	9.09	1.74	0.35	0.04
2000	84551	41028	34159	7634	1409	309	12	48.52	40.40	9.03	1.67	0.37	0.01
2001	84233	40252	34765	7644	1242	311	20	47.79	41.27	9.07	1.47	0.37	0.02
2002	84989	42375	33412	7582	1283	294	43	49.86	39.31	8.92	1.51	0.35	0.05
2003	83346	39545	34501	7646	1339	297	18	47.45	41.39	9.17	1.61	0.36	0.02
2004	76981	37678	30264	7358	1382	294	5	48.94	39.31	9.56	1.80	0.38	0.01
2005	77135	38340	29169	7631	1701	291	3	49.71	37.82	9.89	2.21	0.38	0.00
2006	78398	38598	30383	7355	1755	307	1	49.23	38.75	9.38	2.24	0.39	0.00
2007	79225	40096	29613	7477	1734	305	1	50.61	37.38	9.44	2.19	0.38	0.00
2008	73080	38429	25039	7386	1919	306	0	52.58	34.26	10.11	2.63	0.42	0
2009	76057	38401	28202	7027	2123	302	0	50.49	37.08	9.24	2.79	0.40	0
2010	74757	37643	27486	7240	2085	286	18	50.35	36.77	9.68	2.79	0.38	0.02
2011	72668	36335	27134	6873	2056	270	0	50.00	37.34	9.46	2.83	0.37	0
2012	71686	35852	26300	7195	2053	287	0	50.01	36.69	10.04	2.86	0.40	0
2013	72248	35382	27263	7183	2142	277	0	48.97	37.74	9.94	2.96	0.38	0
2014	74473	36204	28612	7233	2128	289	7	48.61	38.42	9.71	2.86	0.39	0.01
2015	75619	37009	28319	7153	2846	291	1	48.94	37.45	9.46	3.76	0.38	0.00
2016	75683	37704	27097	7165	3398	300	18	49.82	35.80	9.47	4.49	0.40	0.02
2017	75197	37218	27084	7221	3379	295	0	49.49	36.02	9.60	4.49	0.39	0

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-2: Structure of nitrogen output on agricultural land in Slovenia in the period 1992-2017

Sources:

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, 2019

Show data


	Total N output [t N]	Temporary and permanent pasture nett production [t N]	Cereals [t N]	Plants harvested green/Fodder from arable land [t N]	Root crops [t N]	Fruits [t N]	Industrial crops [t N]	Vegetables [t N]	Dried Pulses [t N]	Temporary and permanent pasture nett production [%]	Cereals [%]	Plants harvested green/Fodder from arable land [%]	Root crops [%]	Fruits [%]	Industrial crops [%]	Vegetables [%]	Dried Pulses [%]
1992	28752	17811	6028	2760	1060	535	293	243	22	61.95	20.97	9.60	3.69	1.86	1.02	0.85	0.08
1993	29376	16712	6762	3566	1204	559	278	270	25	56.89	23.02	12.14	4.10	1.90	0.95	0.92	0.09
1994	49789	32460	8417	5815	1755	621	405	254	62	65.20	16.91	11.68	3.52	1.25	0.81	0.51	0.12
1995	46921	29761	8170	6051	1835	547	213	274	70	63.43	17.41	12.90	3.91	1.17	0.45	0.58	0.15
1996	45376	28330	7762	6223	1841	632	251	284	52	62.43	17.11	13.71	4.06	1.39	0.55	0.63	0.11
1997	49428	31402	8579	6673	1683	575	194	275	47	63.53	17.36	13.50	3.40	1.16	0.39	0.56	0.10
1998	49492	30783	8919	6709	1922	641	213	261	42	62.20	18.02	13.56	3.88	1.30	0.43	0.53	0.08
1999	47511	30940	7557	5960	2007	543	185	288	29	65.12	15.91	12.54	4.22	1.14	0.39	0.61	0.06
2000	40831	25412	7968	4674	1641	716	137	259	26	62.24	19.51	11.45	4.02	1.75	0.34	0.63	0.06
2001	40152	26073	8103	3929	1101	521	186	211	27	64.94	20.18	9.79	2.74	1.30	0.46	0.53	0.07
2002	50404	32958	9754	5019	1286	715	391	234	48	65.39	19.35	9.96	2.55	1.42	0.78	0.46	0.10
2003	33416	20670	6432	4190	974	572	353	196	30	61.86	19.25	12.54	2.91	1.71	1.06	0.59	0.09
2004	50952	33252	9267	5723	1223	778	370	265	74	65.26	18.19	11.23	2.40	1.53	0.73	0.52	0.15
2005	54875	35890	9154	7039	1256	649	404	282	202	65.40	16.68	12.83	2.29	1.18	0.74	0.51	0.37
2006	44546	28877	7934	5005	1060	628	423	258	362	64.83	17.81	11.24	2.38	1.41	0.95	0.58	0.81
2007	49107	32889	8502	5440	492	662	698	213	210	66.97	17.31	11.08	1.00	1.35	1.42	0.43	0.43
2008	51121	34195	9336	5703	380	583	517	258	149	66.89	18.26	11.16	0.74	1.14	1.01	0.50	0.29
2009	50253	33822	8542	6007	401	598	528	277	77	67.30	17.00	11.95	0.80	1.19	1.05	0.55	0.15
2010	52785	35652	9161	5930	367	628	776	197	74	67.54	17.36	11.23	0.70	1.19	1.47	0.37	0.14
2011	49664	31719	9727	6096	345	640	750	250	137	63.87	19.59	12.27	0.69	1.29	1.51	0.50	0.28
2012	44216	27622	9441	5379	290	460	743	219	61	62.47	21.35	12.17	0.66	1.04	1.68	0.50	0.14
2013	39156	25371	7449	4634	235	562	643	225	37	64.79	19.02	11.83	0.60	1.44	1.64	0.57	0.09
2014	53898	34293	10457	7038	340	538	892	279	62	63.63	19.40	13.06	0.63	1.00	1.65	0.52	0.12
2015	54145	34537	10040	7578	320	656	639	305	71	63.79	18.54	14.00	0.59	1.21	1.18	0.56	0.13
2016	55437	34942	10276	8026	300	462	992	330	109	63.03	18.54	14.48	0.54	0.83	1.79	0.60	0.20
2017	43897	26502	8872	6573	278	345	931	296	100	60.37	20.21	14.97	0.63	0.79	2.12	0.67	0.23

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-3: Nitrogen budget in Slovenian agriculture in the period 1992-2017

Sources:

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, 2019

Show data


	Gross budget [t N]	Emissions [t N]	Net budget [t N]	UAA [1000 ha]	Gross budget [kg N/ha]	Emissions [kg N/ha]	Net budget [kg N/ha]
1992	61098	18821	42277	556	109.89	33.85	76.04
1993	52287	17338	34949	553	94.55	31.35	63.20
1994	31925	17258	14667	538	59.34	32.08	27.26
1995	33930	17332	16598	525	64.63	33.01	31.62
1996	33407	16790	16617	513	65.12	32.73	32.39
1997	31373	16978	14395	494	63.51	34.37	29.14
1998	32521	17147	15373	491	66.23	34.92	31.31
1999	34750	17053	17697	499	69.64	34.17	35.46
2000	43720	17788	25931	509	85.89	34.95	50.95
2001	44081	17616	26465	510	86.43	34.54	51.89
2002	34584	18475	16109	505	68.48	36.58	31.90
2003	49930	17409	32520	510	97.90	34.14	63.77
2004	26029	16211	9818	491	53.01	33.02	20.00
2005	22259	16479	5781	509	43.73	32.38	11.36
2006	33853	16572	17280	490	69.09	33.82	35.27
2007	30119	17100	13019	498	60.48	34.34	26.14
2008	21959	15962	5997	492	44.63	32.44	12.19
2009	25804	16532	9272	468	55.14	35.32	19.81
2010	21972	16012	5959	483	45.49	33.15	12.34
2011	23004	15383	7621	458	50.23	33.59	16.64
2012	27470	15261	12209	480	57.23	31.79	25.44
2013	33092	15079	18013	479	69.09	31.48	37.61
2014	20576	15402	5174	482	42.69	31.95	10.73
2015	21474	15516	5957	477	45.02	32.53	12.49
2016	20245	15746	4499	478	42.35	32.94	9.41
2017	31299	15472	15828	481	65.07	32.17	32.90

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-4: Utilization efficiency of added nitrogen on agricultural land (% of input) in the period 1992-2017

Sources:

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, 2019

Show data


	Input [kg N/ha]	Output [kg N/ha]	Efficiency of N [%]
1992	162	52	32.10
1993	148	53	35.81
1994	152	93	61.18
1995	154	89	57.79
1996	153	88	57.52
1997	163	100	61.35
1998	167	101	60.48
1999	165	95	57.58
2000	166	80	48.19
2001	165	79	47.88
2002	168	100	59.52
2003	164	66	40.24
2004	157	104	66.24
2005	152	108	71.05
2006	160	91	56.88
2007	159	99	62.26
2008	148	104	70.27
2009	162	107	66.05
2010	155	109	70.32
2011	159	108	67.92
2012	149	92	61.74
2013	151	82	54.30
2014	154	112	72.73
2015	159	114	71.70
2016	158	116	73.42
2017	156	91	58.33

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-5: Gross nitrogen budget in the Member States of the European Union (EU-28) in the period 2006-2015

Sources:

EUROSTAT, 2019

Show data


	2006-2015 [kg N/ha]	2015 [kg N/ha]	2014 [kg N/ha]	2013 [kg N/ha]	2012 [kg N/ha]	2011 [kg N/ha]	2010 [kg N/ha]	2009 [kg N/ha]	2008 [kg N/ha]	2007 [kg N/ha]	2006 [kg N/ha]
Cyprus	183.20	194	194	179	184	199	191	178	201	159	153
Netherlands	179	189	160	169	169	172	173	172	175	198	213
Malta	177.40	147	147	147	141	132	169	200	215	244	232
Belgium	138	132	132	138	143	143	142	129	124	145	152
Luxembourg	126.90	129	129	127	125	138	127	120	122	123	129
Denmark	90.80	80	80	87	83	88	90	87	106	105	102
United Kingdom	85.90	83	85	88	87	85	90	84	82	88	87
Croatia	81.80	60	48	44	86	93	81	62	115	121	108
Germany	79.10	82	66	79	75	89	78	65	84	79	94
Czech Republic	77.50	98	63	76	88	79	67	56	80	86	82
Italy	67.10	66	66	70	80	63	59	60	65	68	74
Greece	64.80	59	59	56	50	52	71	65	69	88	79
Slovenia	53.90	45	43	69	57	50	46	55	45	60	69
Poland	51.50	48	40	55	48	53	52	48	57	52	62
European Union	50.40	51	47	49	50	49	49	46	51	56	56
Finland	48.70	49	48	47	48	50	57	38	51	43	56
France	45.30	42	45	45	40	52	40	39	52	52	46
Sweden	39	32	31	35	32	42	42	30	51	45	50
Portugal	38.30	41	42	37	43	39	41	36	33	43	28
Slovakia	36.50	38	19	41	41	32	46	29	29	50	40
Ireland	37	42	40	44	29	23	34	29	27	47	55
Lithuania	34.10	25	25	31	29	40	44	35	34	28	50
Hungary	33.50	39	27	38	42	31	38	26	20	47	27
Spain	33.30	39	39	29	34	29	35	31	27	34	36
Austria	30.40	41	30	41	30	28	26	21	30	31	26
Estonia	27.30	22	22	23	28	32	31	25	36	22	32
Latvia	24.50	28	28	28	24	28	29	22	17	20	21
Bulgaria	21.80	28	28	16	24	12	14	20	16	36	24
Romania	9.30	9	-1	4	16	-11	-1	18	14	32	13

Export Table Data

Goals

Balanced consumption of nitrogen from mineral fertilisers and livestock manures, gradual increase of the extent of organic farming and prevention of soil loading from point and dispersed sources.
To fertilise plants in a way that makes the best use of nutrients without those nutrients being emitted into groundwater and the atmosphere.
To reduce and prevent further pollution of waters by nitrates from agricultural production.

Comment

In the period 1992–2017, the total nitrogen input to agricultural land was reduced from 89,850 tonnes of N to 75,197 tonnes of N (16%). Input of nitrogen per hectare of utilised agricultural area was also reduced, from 162 kg N/ha to 156 kg N/ha (by 4%). The main sources of nitrogen are livestock manure and mineral fertilisers. Their contribution to nitrogen input in period 1992-2017 was 48% and 39%. Other sources are less important: atmospheric deposition contributes 10%, biological fixation by legumes 2%, seeds and seedlings material 0.4%. The main reason for the reduction of N input is the 30% reduction in the consumption of N from mineral fertilizers. The reduction of utilised agricultural area resulted in reduced input of atmospheric deposition (by 13%) and input of nitrogen through seeds and seedlings material. In the period 1992–2017, input of nitrogen through biological fixation increased by 90% due to an increase in the cultivation of legumes.

Nitrogen output varied considerably in the period 1992–2017, amounting to between 28,752 and 55,437 tonnes of N per year. The output of N per hectare of agricultural land was between 52 and 116 kg per year. Such great differences are a consequence of different weather conditions, as nitrogen output is notably lower in dry years when crops yields are lower. The main source of nitrogen output is permanent grassland (64%), followed by grain fields (19%) and green fodder from arable fields (12%). Other crops (root crops, tubers, fruit, vegetables, legumes and industrial plants) combined contribute 5% of nitrogen output.

In the period 1992-2017 the gross nitrogen budget was between 42 and 110 kg N/ha. The highest (more than 80 kg N/ha) were recorded in the dry years 1992, 1993, 2000, 2001 and 2003, when crop yields were reduced which resulted in lower nitrogen output. The trend analysis clearly revealed that gross nitrogen budget in the period 1995–2017 was decreasing (by 1.5 kg per year, 44% over the entire period). Net nitrogen budget was also decreasing (by 1.4 kg per year, 72% over the entire period). Lower nitrogen budgets indicate better nitrogen management and, consequently, lower emissions of nitrogen compounds into the environment. While 52% of input nitrogen was taken from agricultural land in the period 1992–2003, the percentage increased to 66% in the period 2004–2017, even exceeding 70% in certain years. In the last five-year period (2013–2017), average gross nitrogen budget was 52 kg N/ha, while net nitrogen budget was 21 kg N/ha.

In the period 2006-2015, Slovenia showed a slightly higher average gross nitrogen budget (54 kg N/ha) than EU Member States (50 kg N/ha). This is a consequence of the large percentage of grassland in the structure of agricultural land and the associated livestock production, characterized by extensive emissions of nitrogen compounds into the air.

Methodology

Other sources and literature

EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Eurostat. 2013. Methodology and Handbook Eurostat/OECD. Nutrient Budgets EU 27, Norway, Switzerland

Last modified: 30.10.2019

Author(s): Janez Sušin, Jože Verbič, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia

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[KM22] The Nitrogen Budget in Agriculture

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