Impact of N-fertiliser reduction

• Many groundwater bodies in Germany sufferfrom nitrate leaching, specifically in regionswith high livestock densities.

• In the waterabstraction area ‘Belm-Nettetal’ located in Lower Saxony, farmers have to reduce theirnitrogen (N-)fertilisation by 10/20% in cereals/maize within protection zone II. A field trial was established to observe the effects of reduced N-rates on leaching water quality, yields and further agronomic parameters for winter wheat, winter barley and silage maize.