AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM ARABLE LANDS IN PO VALLEY: METHODOLOGIES, DYNAMICS AND QUANTIFICATION.

Although the Po Valley (north Italy) is considered one of the most important ammonia (NH3) emitting regions in Europe, few data are available for an evaluation of the ammonia budget at field level in arable lands. Here the NH3 losses were quantify, considering different measurement and estimation approach, fertilisers and agronomic managements. The outputs of two concentration based-inverse dispersion models, together a mechanistic model were assessed with the direct measurements of ammonia fluxes by the micrometeorological technique eddy covariance, at hourly, daily and seasonal scales. A discussion on advantages, disadvantages and performances of each model is given in order to determine the most suitable method able to evaluate the ammonia emission in Po Valley at field scale. The selected inverse dispersion models were assessed in their uncertainty to quantify ammonia emissions rates, and their significance with regards to the Italian context. Moreover emissions from cattle slurry and urea application were performed in seven field trials in three different locations of Po Valley, in order to evaluate the best practices in reducing NH3 loss from arable land. The emission factors relative to different agronomical practices (slurry injection, slurry surface spreading with and without incorporation, urea surface spreading) are given, taking into account the main factors affecting the NH3 volatilization phenomenon and describing its dynamics.