By Andi Anderson
Michigan State University’s Bruno Basso is leading global efforts to reduce agricultural emissions by combining remote sensing, crop modeling, and artificial intelligence.
His research focuses on fertilizer-driven greenhouse gases, especially nitrous oxide (N₂O) — a gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide in its warming potential.
While agriculture provides essential food, it also contributes about 12–24% of global emissions when including land use changes. Fertilizer and tillage practices are major contributors. However, better land management can help agriculture shift from being a major emitter to a climate solution.
Basso’s team, including students and collaborators, developed a system using the SALUS model (System Approach for Land Use Sustainability) and Climate TRACE data to estimate fertilizer emissions across 132 crops worldwide.
They calculate how much nitrogen is used, how much is absorbed by crops, and how much escapes into the air as N₂O.
By using satellite imagery, they track where crops are grown and estimate their nitrogen needs. This information is combined with global fertilizer trade data to determine regional availability and efficiency. For example, two countries may grow corn, but limited fertilizer access can lead to lower yields and higher emissions in one compared to the other.
A key innovation is training AI on simulation data from SALUS, allowing farmers to ask questions like “What happens if I apply more nitrogen?” and get fast, accurate answers. This system guides both farmers and policymakers.
Basso’s team emphasizes yield-scaled emissions — how much food is produced per unit of gas emitted. The goal is to help regions increase yields while cutting emissions, using real data to create smarter decisions and fair climate policies.
With the right tools, agriculture can feed the world and fight climate change.
Photo Credit: michigan-state-university-msu
Categories: Michigan, Education