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[KM22] The Nitrogen Budget in Agriculture
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In the period 1992–2019 nitrogen surplus in Slovenian agriculture decreased. Trend analysis for this period shows that gross nitrogen surplus decreased on average by 1.6 kg N/ha per year or by 50%, and the net surplus by 1.5 kg N/ha per year or by 81%. The lower surplus was mainly due to a 46% increase in nitrogen removal by crops and a 4% decrease in nitrogen input per hectare of utilized agricultural area. A lower excess of nitrogen indicates better nitrogen management in agriculture and consequently a reduction in emissions of nitrogen compounds into the environment. The nitrogen surplus in a particular year is significantly influenced by weather conditions. In dry years, the nitrogen balance surpluses are usually higher due to lower crop yields. In the period 2006–2015, Slovenia showed a slightly higher average gross balance nitrogen surplus (54 kg N/ha) than the average of the EU Member States (50 kg N/ha).

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 surplus is the difference between total input and output of nitrogen. Gross nitrogen input 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 (composts, digestates, sewage sludges ...) and N from seeds and planting material. Output represents nitrogen uptake of harvested crops.

The net nitrogen surplus refers mainly to the available N for crop growth (net input). Net nitrogen surplus is calculated by subtracting N that is released into the atmosphere (from animal houses, manure stores, 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 (NOX).

The gross and net nitrogen surpluses were expressed in tonnes N at the national level and in kilograms N per hectare of utilized agricultural area. Data for the period 1992–2019 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 inpuut on agricultural land in Slovenia in the period 1992–2019
Sources: 

AIS, 2021

Show data

Total N input [t N]

Livestock manure [t N]

Mineral fertilisers [t N]

Atmospheric deposition [t N]

Biological fixation [t N]

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

91272.13

41745.78

38938

8338.07

1781.20

338.51

130.56

45.74

42.66

9.14

1.95

0.37

0.14

1993

82953.37

39052.39

33376

8291.40

1763.63

339.39

130.56

47.08

40.23

10.00

2.13

0.41

0.16

1994

82969.43

38855.61

33944

8063.79

1653.28

322.19

130.56

46.83

40.91

9.72

1.99

0.39

0.16

1995

82010.14

39665.54

32235

7874.48

1778.12

326.44

130.56

48.37

39.31

9.60

2.17

0.40

0.16

1996

79387.22

38317.80

31296

7702.10

1637.35

311.21

122.76

48.27

39.42

9.70

2.06

0.39

0.15

1997

81032.08

37570.77

33999

7414.07

1638.40

294.88

114.96

46.37

41.96

9.15

2.02

0.36

0.14

1998

82326.66

38209.25

34801

7363.77

1546.68

298.80

107.16

46.41

42.27

8.94

1.88

0.36

0.13

1999

82609.85

38941.21

34380

7478.87

1432.53

291.53

85.71

47.14

41.62

9.05

1.73

0.35

0.10

2000

84411.80

40836.41

34159

7634.40

1409.19

308.54

64.26

48.38

40.47

9.04

1.67

0.37

0.08

2001

84052.50

40018.54

34765

7644.36

1241.77

310.77

72.06

47.61

41.36

9.09

1.48

0.37

0.09

2002

84696.03

42030.20

33412

7581.93

1282.95

293.49

95.46

49.62

39.45

8.95

1.51

0.35

0.11

2003

82938.44

39085.23

34501

7645.64

1339.27

296.99

70.31

47.13

41.60

9.22

1.61

0.36

0.08

2004

76875.89

37520.55

30264

7357.80

1381.82

294.25

57.48

48.81

39.37

9.57

1.80

0.38

0.07

2005

76746.89

37899.60

29169

7631.39

1700.85

290.73

55.34

49.38

38.01

9.94

2.22

0.38

0.07

2006

77931.96

38063.22

30383

7354.77

1755.00

306.52

69.46

48.84

38.99

9.44

2.25

0.39

0.09

2007

78844.25

39630.57

29613

7476.99

1733.83

304.92

84.93

50.26

37.56

9.48

2.20

0.39

0.11

2008

72617.88

37867.08

25039

7386.36

1918.61

306.39

100.45

52.15

34.48

10.17

2.64

0.42

0.14

2009

75679.61

37908.59

28202

7027.44

2123.09

302.20

116.29

50.09

37.26

9.29

2.81

0.40

0.15

2010

74290.24

37044.30

27486

7239.80

2085.22

285.47

149.45

49.86

37.00

9.75

2.81

0.38

0.20

2011

72284.49

35804.01

27134

6872.93

2056.13

269.85

147.58

49.53

37.54

9.51

2.84

0.37

0.20

2012

71462.10

35464.15

26300

7194.80

2052.56

287.20

163.41

49.63

36.80

10.07

2.87

0.40

0.23

2013

72081.92

35037.31

27263

7183.32

2141.89

277.16

179.23

48.61

37.82

9.97

2.97

0.38

0.25

2014

74187.45

35719.93

28612

7233.29

2127.83

289.25

205.15

48.15

38.57

9.75

2.87

0.39

0.28

2015

75549.76

36729.31

28319

7152.93

2846.41

290.72

211.38

48.62

37.48

9.47

3.77

0.38

0.28

2016

75425.40

37223.43

27097

7165.07

3397.60

300.21

242.09

49.35

35.93

9.50

4.50

0.40

0.32

2017

74979.22

36822.56

27084

7221.23

3378.67

295.21

177.57

49.11

36.12

9.63

4.51

0.39

0.24

2018

74742.64

36579.87

27293

7159.44

3135.19

287.43

287.71

48.94

36.52

9.58

4.19

0.38

0.38

2019

75077.81

36474.59

28048

7197.33

2848.10

280.00

229.78

48.58

37.36

9.59

3.79

0.37

0.31
Figure KM22-2: Structure of nitrogen output on agricultural land in Slovenia in the period 1992–2019
Sources: 

AIS, 2021

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

28752.00

17811.27

6028.00

2760.09

1060.33

534.73

293.18

242.55

21.86

61.95

20.97

9.60

3.69

1.86

1.02

0.84

0.08

1993

29376.14

16712.21

6762.38

3565.82

1204.01

559.41

277.76

269.78

24.77

56.89

23.02

12.14

4.10

1.90

0.95

0.92

0.08

1994

49789.44

32460.04

8416.82

5815.28

1754.89

621.46

404.81

253.80

62.35

65.19

16.90

11.68

3.52

1.25

0.81

0.51

0.13

1995

46921.32

29760.91

8170.15

6051.23

1834.91

547.24

212.72

273.94

70.23

63.43

17.41

12.90

3.91

1.17

0.45

0.58

0.15

1996

45376.16

28330.24

7762.42

6223.37

1840.71

632.42

250.88

283.87

52.25

62.43

17.11

13.72

4.06

1.39

0.55

0.63

0.12

1997

49428.23

31401.79

8578.90

6673.26

1682.98

575.47

194.19

274.81

46.83

63.53

17.36

13.50

3.40

1.16

0.39

0.56

0.09

1998

49491.84

30783.48

8919.45

6709.22

1922.48

640.83

212.69

261.39

42.30

62.20

18.02

13.56

3.88

1.29

0.43

0.53

0.09

1999

47511.12

30940.35

7557.26

5960.35

2007.07

543.40

184.91

288.39

29.40

65.12

15.91

12.55

4.22

1.14

0.39

0.61

0.06

2000

40831.47

25411.72

7968.03

4673.57

1640.73

716.01

136.72

258.70

25.98

62.24

19.51

11.45

4.02

1.75

0.33

0.63

0.06

2001

40152.38

26073.30

8102.99

3928.52

1101.47

521.24

186.09

211.46

27.30

64.94

20.18

9.78

2.74

1.30

0.46

0.53

0.07

2002

50404.47

32957.61

9754.26

5018.98

1286.05

714.70

390.61

234.05

48.21

65.39

19.35

9.96

2.55

1.42

0.77

0.46

0.10

2003

33416.41

20670.42

6432.20

4189.68

973.80

571.51

352.69

195.82

30.28

61.86

19.25

12.54

2.91

1.71

1.06

0.59

0.09

2004

50951.79

33251.55

9267.40

5722.63

1223.39

777.89

369.94

264.69

74.29

65.26

18.19

11.23

2.40

1.53

0.73

0.52

0.15

2005

54875.43

35890.04

9153.81

7038.79

1256.23

648.93

404.06

281.64

201.95

65.40

16.68

12.83

2.29

1.18

0.74

0.51

0.37

2006

44545.71

28877.24

7933.84

5004.77

1059.66

628.12

422.70

257.53

361.85

64.83

17.81

11.24

2.38

1.41

0.95

0.58

0.81

2007

49106.58

32889.33

8501.95

5440.37

491.76

662.40

697.60

213.28

209.90

66.98

17.31

11.08

1.00

1.35

1.42

0.43

0.43

2008

51120.84

34194.84

9335.78

5702.98

380.35

582.79

517.19

258.25

148.66

66.89

18.26

11.16

0.74

1.14

1.01

0.51

0.29

2009

50252.71

33822.07

8542.06

6006.73

401.02

598.05

528.13

277.41

77.25

67.30

17.00

11.95

0.80

1.19

1.05

0.55

0.15

2010

52784.93

35652.00

9161.24

5929.51

366.59

628.31

776.45

196.73

74.10

67.54

17.36

11.23

0.69

1.19

1.47

0.37

0.14

2011

49663.60

31718.72

9726.92

6096.05

344.98

639.95

750.44

249.88

136.65

63.87

19.59

12.27

0.69

1.29

1.51

0.50

0.28

2012

44216.07

27622.23

9440.84

5378.97

290.22

460.34

742.83

219.16

61.47

62.47

21.35

12.17

0.66

1.04

1.68

0.50

0.14

2013

39155.52

25371.32

7449.09

4634.03

235.08

561.54

642.60

224.71

37.15

64.80

19.02

11.83

0.60

1.43

1.64

0.57

0.09

2014

53897.79

34292.96

10456.78

7037.70

339.59

538.10

891.67

278.67

62.33

63.63

19.40

13.06

0.63

1.00

1.65

0.52

0.12

2015

54144.92

34536.75

10039.80

7578.39

319.53

655.67

638.67

305.15

70.96

63.79

18.54

14.00

0.59

1.21

1.18

0.56

0.13

2016

55437.10

34941.88

10275.84

8025.98

300.30

462.25

991.71

330.04

109.11

63.03

18.54

14.48

0.54

0.83

1.79

0.60

0.20

2017

43897.50

26502.39

8871.90

6573.33

278.18

344.97

931.31

295.70

99.71

60.37

20.21

14.97

0.63

0.79

2.12

0.67

0.23

2018

54011.68

34331.22

9483.94

7932.26

276.93

775.88

799.57

313.99

97.90

63.56

17.56

14.69

0.51

1.44

1.48

0.58

0.18

2019

54342.28

34525.00

10259.24

7589.81

265.36

489.93

749.65

364.32

98.98

63.53

18.88

13.97

0.49

0.90

1.38

0.67

0.18
Figure KM22-3: Nitrogen budget in Slovenian agriculture for the period 1992–2019
Sources: 

AIS, 2021

Show data

Gross budget [t N]

Emissions [t N]

Nett budget [t N]

UAA [1000 ha]

Gross budget [kg N/ha]

Emissions [kg N/ha]

Nett budget [kg N/ha]

1992

62520.13

19273.16

43246.97

555.87

112.47

34.67

77.80

1993

53577.23

17832.79

35744.45

552.76

96.93

32.26

64.67

1994

33179.98

17775.87

15404.12

537.59

61.72

33.07

28.65

1995

35088.83

17806.07

17282.76

524.97

66.84

33.92

32.92

1996

34011.06

17025.60

16985.46

513.47

66.24

33.16

33.08

1997

31603.85

16988.00

14615.85

494.27

63.94

34.37

29.57

1998

32834.83

17229.01

15605.81

490.92

66.88

35.10

31.79

1999

35098.72

17193.25

17905.47

498.59

70.40

34.48

35.91

2000

43580.34

17854.63

25725.71

508.96

85.63

35.08

50.55

2001

43900.12

17628.80

26271.31

509.62

86.14

34.59

51.55

2002

34291.56

18450.23

15841.33

505.46

67.84

36.50

31.34

2003

49522.03

17332.46

32189.56

509.71

97.16

34.00

63.15

2004

25924.11

16345.50

9578.61

490.52

52.85

33.32

19.53

2005

21871.47

16469.23

5402.23

508.76

42.99

32.37

10.62

2006

33386.25

16603.02

16783.23

490.32

68.09

33.86

34.23

2007

29737.66

17080.53

12657.13

498.47

59.66

34.27

25.39

2008

21497.04

16006.72

5490.32

492.42

43.66

32.51

11.15

2009

25426.90

16492.30

8934.61

468.50

54.27

35.20

19.07

2010

21505.31

15985.37

5519.94

482.65

44.56

33.12

11.44

2011

22620.89

15378.78

7242.12

458.20

49.37

33.56

15.81

2012

27246.03

15328.05

11917.99

479.65

56.80

31.96

24.85

2013

32926.40

15125.80

17800.60

478.89

68.76

31.59

37.17

2014

20289.66

15376.02

4913.64

482.22

42.08

31.89

10.19

2015

21404.84

15631.28

5773.56

476.86

44.89

32.78

12.11

2016

19988.29

15801.32

4186.97

477.67

41.85

33.08

8.77

2017

31081.73

15548.12

15533.60

481.42

64.56

32.30

32.27

2018

20730.96

15588.70

5142.26

477.30

43.43

32.66

10.77

2019

20735.53

15382.62

5352.91

479.82

43.22

32.06

11.16
Figure KM22-4: Utilization efficiency of added nitrogen on agricultural land (% of input)
Sources: 

AIS, 2021

Show data

Input[kg N/ha]

Output[kg N/ha]

Efficiency of N[%]

1992

164.20

51.72

31.50

1993

150.07

53.14

35.41

1994

154.34

92.62

60.01

1995

156.22

89.38

57.21

1996

154.61

88.37

57.16

1997

163.94

100.00

61.00

1998

167.70

100.81

60.12

1999

165.69

95.29

57.51

2000

165.85

80.23

48.37

2001

164.93

78.79

47.77

2002

167.56

99.72

59.51

2003

162.72

65.56

40.29

2004

156.72

103.87

66.28

2005

150.85

107.86

71.50

2006

158.94

90.85

57.16

2007

158.17

98.52

62.28

2008

147.47

103.81

70.40

2009

161.54

107.26

66.40

2010

153.92

109.36

71.05

2011

157.76

108.39

68.71

2012

148.99

92.18

61.87

2013

150.52

81.76

54.32

2014

153.85

111.77

72.65

2015

158.43

113.54

71.67

2016

157.90

116.06

73.50

2017

155.66

91.18

58.58

2018

156.43

113.16

72.34

2019

156.22

113.26

72.50
Figure KM22-5: Gross nitrogen budget in the Member States of the European Union in the period 2006–2015
Sources: 

Eurostat, 2019

Show data

2006 [kg N/ha]

2007 [kg N/ha]

2008 [kg N/ha]

2009 [kg N/ha]

2010 [kg N/ha]

2011 [kg N/ha]

2012 [kg N/ha]

2013 [kg N/ha]

2014 [kg N/ha]

2015 [kg N/ha]

2006-2015 [kg N/ha]

Romania

13

32

14

18

-1

-11

16

4

-1

9

9.30

Bulgaria

24

36

16

20

14

12

24

16

28

28

21.80

Latvia

21

20

17

22

29

28

24

28

28

28

24.50

Estonia

32

22

36

25

31

32

28

23

22

22

27.30

Austria

26

31

30

21

26

28

30

41

30

41

30.40

Spain

36

34

27

31

35

29

34

29

39

39

33.30

Hungary

27

47

20

26

38

31

42

38

27

39

33.50

Lithuania

50

28

34

35

44

40

29

31

25

25

34.10

Slovakia

40

50

29

29

46

32

41

41

19

38

36.50

Ireland

55

47

27

29

34

23

29

44

40

42

37

Portugal

28

43

33

36

41

39

43

37

42

41

38.30

Sweden

50

45

51

30

42

42

32

35

31

32

39

France

46

52

52

39

40

52

40

45

45

42

45.30

Finland

56

43

51

38

57

50

48

47

48

49

48.70

European Union

56

56

51

46

49

49

50

49

47

51

50.40

Poland

62

52

57

48

52

53

48

55

40

48

51.50

Slovenia

69

60

45

55

46

50

57

69

43

45

53.90

Greece

79

88

69

65

71

52

50

56

59

59

64.80

Italy

74

68

65

60

59

63

80

70

66

66

67.10

Czech Republic

82

86

80

56

67

79

88

76

63

98

77.50

Germany

94

79

84

65

78

89

75

79

66

82

79.10

Croatia

108

121

115

62

81

93

86

44

48

60

81.80

United Kingdom

87

88

82

84

90

85

87

88

85

83

85.90

Denmark

102

105

106

87

90

88

83

87

80

80

90.80

Luxembourg

129

123

122

120

127

138

125

127

129

129

126.90

Belgium

152

145

124

129

142

143

143

138

132

132

138

Malta

232

244

215

200

169

132

141

147

147

147

177.40

Netherlands

213

198

175

172

173

172

169

169

160

189

179

Cyprus

153

159

201

178

191

199

184

179

194

194

183.20

Goals

  • Reducing the negative impacts of agriculture on water, soil and air
  • 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.

The main sources of nitrogen input in agriculture are livestock manures (48%) and mineral fertilizers (39%). Atmospheric deposition contributes 9% of nitrogen input, biological fixation by legumes 3%, seeds and seedlings 0.4% and other organic fertilizers 0.2%. In the period 1992 and 2019, total nitrogen input decreased by 15%. The main reason is a 27% reduction in nitrogen consumption from mineral fertilizers. Nitrogen input from livestock manure decreased by 10%. Due to the reduced areas of utilized agricultural area, the input of atmospheric nitrogen decreased by 12% and the input by seeds and seedlings by 13%. Due to the increased extent of legume production, biological nitrogen fixation increased by 129%. Nitrogen input per hectare of utilized agricultural area decreased by 4%, mainly due to a 17% decrease in nitrogen input from mineral fertilizers per hectare of utilized agricultural area.

In the period 1992–2019, the annual nitrogen output by crops varied from 52 to 116 kg per hectare. The variation was mainly due to weather conditions, as nitrogen output was notably lower in dry years. Nitrogen output per hectare of utilized agricultural area increased by 46% during this period. The main source of nitrogen output was permanent grassland (64%), followed by cereals (18%) and forage crops (12%). Other crops (roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, legumes and industrial plants) together contributed 5% of total nitrogen output.

In the period 1992–2019 the gross nitrogen surplus varied between 42 and 112 kg per hectare. The highest surpluses (more than 80 kg N/ha) were recorded in the dry years 1992, 1993, 2000, 2001 and 2003, when outputs with crop yields were reduced. The trend analysis clearly revealed that gross nitrogen surplus in the period 1995–2019 was decreasing by 1.6 kg per year or by 50% over the entire period, and net nitrogen surplus was decreasing by 1.5 kg per year or by 81%. The lower nitrogen surplus was mainly due to a 46% increase in nitrogen uptake by crops and a 4% decrease in nitrogen input per hectare of utilized agricultural area. Lower nitrogen budgets indicate better nitrogen management and, consequently, lower emissions of nitrogen compounds into the environment. While 51% of total nitrogen input was taken from agricultural land by crops in the period 1992–2003, the percentage increased to 67% in the period 2004–2019.

In the period 2006-2015, Slovenia had a slightly higher average gross nitrogen budget (54 kg N/ha) than EU Member States (50 kg N/ha). This is, among others, also 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.

Other sources and literature

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

Last modified: 08.04.2021
Author(s): Janez Sušin, Jože Verbič, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia

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