Farmers could reduce their nitrous oxide emissions by adding copper into their crop fertilisation processes, according to research conducted by the University of East Anglia.
The researchers focussed on denitrification - a series of chemical reactions within bacteria that occur in environments, such as soil, with low oxygen levels and high nitrate levels.
They found the gene responsible for the destruction of nitrous oxide can be regulated by adding copper.
Nitrous oxide is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, and nitrogen-based synthetic fertilisers have led to a 20% increase in global agriculture emissions in the last century.
Read more at University of East Anglia