Manures and slurries contain recyclable crop nutrients such as nitrates (NO3–). However, field application of an excess of manures and slurries often leads to air pollution by ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas. Therefore there is a need to optimise spreading techniques to decrease undesired pollution. Agronomists Langevin et al. designed a model that simulates the effects of spreading techniques on NH3 and N2O emissions. They found that taking into account soil compaction should decrease environmental impacts.
