About the project

Norway's agricultural sector faces significant environmental challenges, particularly high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions driven by the intensive use of nitrogen fertilizers in forage production, which is necessary to produce high-quality forage for milk and meat production.

This practice leads to significant emissions of N₂O and methane. The "Soil2Milk" project addresses this problem by exploring the potential for more efficient utilization of nitrogen (NUE- Nitrogen Use Efficiency) in Norwegian varieties of forage grasses, thereby reducing the need for fertilizer while increasing the yield and quality of the forage.

This innovative project compares mixtures of perennial ryegrass/red clover and perennial ryegrass/birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) against traditional monocultures under two fertilizer regimes. The project aims to study N₂O emissions and nitrogen-fixing capacity in grass/legume mixtures, apply CRISPR technology to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), assess the impact of forage quality on methane emissions and milk production in dairy cows, and model GHG emission intensities across the soil-to-milk value chain using HolosNor and machine learning models.

The integration of machine learning makes it possible to analyze large datasets to predict optimal feed production and milk production results, providing actionable insights for the industry. "Soil2Milk" aims to reduce GHG emissions by showcasing how improved crop varieties, optimized mixtures, and advanced agricultural technologies can decrease reliance on chemical fertilizers.

The project seeks to offer practical solutions to increase the sustainability and economic viability of Norwegian dairy farming. Soil2Milk makes a substantial step towards achieving environmental sustainability in milk production, to the benefit of farmers and forage breeders with innovative practices for a more sustainable agriculture in Norway, in line with national and global environmental goals.

• Background

  Climate change in Northern Europe is predicted to bring higher temperatures and increased precipitation, extending the growing season. This offers an opportunity to expand the cultivation of high-yielding perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) northwards, thereby increasing domestic self-sufficiency in forage. However, without innovation, this intensification poses severe environmental risks: high nitrogen fertilization rates for ryegrass increase soil nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, while a higher intake of roughage raises enteric methane (CH₄) emissions from dairy cows.

  To decouple increased production from greenhouse gas emissions, the "Soil2Milk" project introduces Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) into Norwegian forage systems. This legume offers a dual mitigation strategy: it hosts rhizobia capable of reducing soil N₂O and contains bioactive compounds that inhibit enteric CH₄ formation in cattle. Currently, Birdsfoot trefoil is not utilized in Norway, and critical knowledge gaps exist regarding its winter hardiness, rhizobial compatibility, and effects on high-yielding dairy cows. This project addresses these gaps by optimizing the value chain from soil to animal, using whole-farm modeling (HolosNor) to ensure a net reduction in the climate footprint.

• Objectives

  The primary objective of the "Soil2Milk" project is to generate a sustainable feed value chain by significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in Norwegian agriculture by enhancing nitrogen use efficiency of forage crops and lowering methane emissions from cows, leading to a more sustainable feed and milk production.

  The Secondary objectives includes:

  1. Investigate N₂O emissions and nitrogen fixation capabilities in mixed forage grass and legume systems with different fertilizer regimes.
  2. Identify perennial ryegrass varieties with contrasting nitrogen use efficiencies (NUE), and utilize CRISPR to understand and manipulate the N biochemical pathway.
  3. Analyze the impact of improved forage quality on dairy cow methane emissions, milk yield and NUE.
  4. Improving sustainability estimates by integrated modelling of GHG emission intensities along the soil-to-milk value chain using the whole farm HolosNor model and machine learning.

  

• Participants

  NMBU participants

  

  Odd Arne Rognli

  Professor Emeritus

  Tel. +4792683800

  Send e-mail

  WP6 leader

  External participants

  • Graminor: Muath Alsheikh, Helga Amdahl, Kristin Håland Gylstrøm, Susanne Windju
  • NLR: Ragnhild Borchsenius (WP6 leder)
  • Agdir AS: Svein Arild Frøshaug
  • TINE SA: Jon Kristian Sommerseth
  • Norsk Regnesentral: Ingrid Dæhlen, Alex Lenkoski