The Nitrogen Budget in Agriculture | Environmental indicators

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In the period 1992–2021 nitrogen surplus in Slovenian agriculture decreased. Trend analysis for this period shows that gross nitrogen surplus decreased on average by 1.5 kg N/ha per year or by 54%, and the net surplus by 1.5 kg N/ha per year or by 87%. The lower surplus was mainly due to a 50% 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 budget is usually higher due to lower crop yields. In the period 2015–2019, Slovenia showed a slightly lower gross nitrogen budget (48 kg N/ha) than selected EU Member States (53 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 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 1992–2021 are presented. The indicator also presents the structure of input and output of N and comparison with selected EU countries in the period 2015–2019.

Charts

Figure KM22-1: Structure of nitrogen inpuut on agricultural land in Slovenia in the period 1992–2021

Sources:

AIS, 2023

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	74939.03	36782.36	27084	7221.23	3378.67	295.21	177.57	49.08	36.14	9.64	4.51	0.39	0.24
2018	74662.25	36499.48	27293	7159.44	3135.19	287.43	287.71	48.89	36.56	9.59	4.20	0.38	0.39
2019	74957.21	36354.00	28048	7197.33	2848.10	280.00	229.78	48.50	37.42	9.60	3.80	0.37	0.31
2020	74273.87	36079.67	27692	7260.95	2684.94	287.98	268.33	48.58	37.28	9.78	3.61	0.39	0.36
2021	75850.22	36181.44	29143	7192.29	2745.85	285.52	302.12	47.70	38.42	9.48	3.62	0.38	0.40

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-2: Structure of nitrogen output on agricultural land in Slovenia in the period 1992–2021

Sources:

AIS, 2023

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
2020	58947.35	36817.84	11954.56	7994.13	344.54	545.68	814.75	407.45	68.38	62.46	20.28	13.56	0.58	0.93	1.38	0.69	0.12
2021	52615.87	32918.69	11216.98	6781.20	247.46	312.70	731.19	347.55	60.09	62.56	21.32	12.89	0.47	0.59	1.39	0.66	0.11

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-3: Nitrogen budget in Slovenian agriculture for the period 1992–2021

Sources:

AIS, 2023

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	19844.09	42676.03	555.87	112.47	35.70	76.77
1993	53577.23	18359.93	35217.30	552.76	96.93	33.22	63.71
1994	33179.98	18295.13	14884.85	537.59	61.72	34.03	27.69
1995	35088.83	18336.07	16752.75	524.97	66.84	34.93	31.91
1996	34011.06	17542.35	16468.71	513.47	66.24	34.16	32.07
1997	31603.85	17450.07	14153.78	494.27	63.94	35.30	28.64
1998	32834.83	17685.97	15148.86	490.92	66.88	36.03	30.86
1999	35098.72	17657.65	17441.07	498.59	70.40	35.42	34.98
2000	43580.34	18316.92	25263.41	508.96	85.63	35.99	49.64
2001	43900.12	18060.14	25839.98	509.62	86.14	35.44	50.70
2002	34291.56	18865.52	15426.04	505.46	67.84	37.32	30.52
2003	49522.03	17708.21	31813.82	509.71	97.16	34.74	62.42
2004	25924.11	16715.71	9208.39	490.52	52.85	34.08	18.77
2005	21871.47	16838.98	5032.49	508.76	42.99	33.10	9.89
2006	33386.25	16956.92	16429.33	490.32	68.09	34.58	33.51
2007	29737.66	17436.80	12300.86	498.47	59.66	34.98	24.68
2008	21497.04	16340.85	5156.19	492.42	43.66	33.18	10.47
2009	25426.90	16809.27	8617.64	468.50	54.27	35.88	18.39
2010	21505.31	16282.99	5222.32	482.65	44.56	33.74	10.82
2011	22620.89	15669.09	6951.81	458.20	49.37	34.20	15.17
2012	27246.03	15615.34	11630.69	479.65	56.80	32.56	24.25
2013	32926.40	15426.00	17500.40	478.89	68.76	32.21	36.54
2014	20289.66	15688.95	4600.71	482.22	42.08	32.53	9.54
2015	21404.84	15962.52	5442.32	476.86	44.89	33.47	11.41
2016	19988.29	16146.81	3841.48	477.67	41.85	33.80	8.04
2017	31041.53	15897.85	15143.68	481.42	64.48	33.02	31.46
2018	20650.56	15945.48	4705.08	477.30	43.27	33.41	9.86
2019	20614.93	15862.31	4752.63	479.82	42.96	33.06	9.90
2020	15326.52	15838.74	-512.22	484.06	31.66	32.72	-1.06
2021	23234.35	15835.75	7398.60	479.49	48.46	33.03	15.43

Export Table Data

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

Sources:

AIS, 2023

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
2020	153.44	121.78	79.36
2021	158.19	109.73	69.37

Export Table Data

Figure KM22-5: Gross nitrogen budget in selected EU Member States in the period 2015–2019

Sources:

AIS, 2023

Show data


	2015[kg N/ha]	2016[kg N/ha]	2017[kg N/ha]	2018[kg N/ha]	2019[kg N/ha]	2015-2019[kg N/ha]
Romania	8.60	-1.40	-12.60	-27.40	-24.90	-11.54
Latvia	28	25.40	22.20	26.40	12.40	22.88
Lithuania	25	0	0	43.50	40.80	36.43
Sweden	31.70	36.70	35.30	60.60	26.10	38.08
France	37.30	47.50	33.70	40.80	38	39.46
Austria	44.60	29	44.40	45.90	34.10	39.60
Slovakia	38.40	16.40	27.10	62.60	63.30	41.56
Portugal	44.30	46.70	44.90	45.50	45.20	45.32
Slovenia	44.90	41.80	64.60	43.40	43.20	47.58
Poland	47.80	44.10	48.40	61.80	47.40	49.90
Finland	49.50	47.40	51.50	58	43.70	50.02
Bulgaria	28	71.10	65.80	61.80	28.80	51.10
Average						53.26
Croatia	59.70	35.40	65.10	57.60	53.40	54.24
Germany	81.80	69.05	61.51	77.90	53.40	68.73
Czechia	98.30	92.30	102.40	94.70	75.60	92.66
Netherlands	192.40	194.50	182	196	165.80	186.14

Export Table Data

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.

Comment

The main sources of nitrogen input in agriculture are livestock manures (48%) and mineral fertilizers (39%). Atmospheric deposition contributes 10% of nitrogen input, biological fixation by legumes 3%, seeds and seedlings 0.4% and other organic fertilizers 0.2%. Between 1992 and 2021, total nitrogen input decreased by 15%. The main reason is a 26% reduction in nitrogen consumption from mineral fertilizers. Nitrogen input from livestock manure decreased by 11%. 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 12%. Due to the increased extent of legume production, biological nitrogen fixation increased by 134%. Nitrogen input per hectare of utilized agricultural area decreased by 4%, mainly due to a 16% decrease in nitrogen input from mineral fertilizers per hectare of utilized agricultural area.

In the period 1992–2021, the annual nitrogen output by crops varied from 52 to 122 kg per ha. The variation was mainly due to weather conditions, as nitrogen output was notably lower in dry years. Nitrogen output per ha of utilized agricultural area increased by 50% during this period. The main source of nitrogen output was permanent grassland (64%), followed by cereals (19%) and forage crops (12%). Other crops (roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, legumes and industrial plants) together contributed 5% of total nitrogen output.

In the period 1992-2021 the gross nitrogen surplus varied between 32 and 112 kg per ha. 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 1992–2021 was decreasing by 1.5 kg per year or by 54% over the entire period. Net nitrogen surplus was decreasing by 1.5 kg per year or by 87%. The lower nitrogen surplus was mainly due to a 50% 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 54% of total nitrogen input was taken from agricultural land by crops in the period 1992–2006, the percentage increased to 68% in the period 2007–2021.

In the period 2015–2019, Slovenia showed a slightly lower gross nitrogen budget (48 kg N/ha) than selected EU Member States (53 kg N/ha).

Methodology

Other sources and literature

EMEP/EEA. 2019. EMEP/EEA air pollutant emission inventory guidebook 2019. Technical guidance to prepare national emission inventories, EEA Report No 13/2019, European Environment Agency.

European Commission, EUROSTAT 2013. Methodology and Handbook EUROSTAT/OECD. Nutrient Budgets EU 27, Norway, Switzerland.

IPCC 2006. IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Volume 4, Agriculture, forestry and other land use. Eggleston H.S., Buendia L., Miwa K., Ngara T. and Tanabe K. (ur.), IGES, Japan.

Last modified: 01.08.2023

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

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[KM22] The Nitrogen Budget in Agriculture

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