By Abbas Nazil
The Teagasc Climate Centre is highlighting its research at Ploughing25, showcasing how science is supporting Irish agriculture in meeting commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while safeguarding soil health and sustainability.
Scientists at the event are presenting advanced instruments and tools used across Teagasc to gather precise data on soils, greenhouse gas emissions, and slurry nutrient quality.
This evidence is central to developing technologies and practices that will accelerate the agricultural sector’s response to climate challenges and environmental targets.
A major focus is on understanding Irish soils, where researchers use precision tools to collect soil cores that reveal the layers beneath the surface without disturbance.
These insights provide essential information about historical land use, organic matter storage, and soil structure variations across regions.
Such knowledge helps farmers make informed decisions to protect soil fertility and ensure long-term productivity.
Accurate data on greenhouse gas emissions is also being captured through continuous field trials using long-term auto-chambers.
These instruments provide real-time monitoring of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions from soils, reflecting how factors like soil type and farm management influence outcomes.
This evidence is vital for developing climate-smart farming practices and ensuring Ireland meets its national and international emission reduction targets.
The Climate Centre is also focusing on maximizing the value of slurry, which plays a critical role in soil and water management.
Research has shown that slurry nutrient content can vary greatly, but tools such as the slurry hydrometer and Teagasc’s Slurry Calibration Tool allow farmers to measure and manage this variability.
By targeting slurry applications more effectively, farmers can reduce nutrient losses, improve water quality, and enhance soil organic matter.
Efforts to reduce ammonia emissions are equally important.
Ammonia losses from manure spreading are strongly influenced by both weather conditions and application methods.
To address this, Teagasc is demonstrating the use of FTIR, or Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which provides high-frequency measurements of gas emissions from large plots.
This technology helps researchers model the impact of weather and spreading methods on ammonia emissions and guides the development of practical mitigation strategies for better manure management.
The integration of these studies demonstrates how science-based solutions can support farmers while protecting the environment.
The Climate Centre’s work shows that innovative tools and evidence-based strategies can deliver measurable benefits for soil health, emissions reduction, and long-term agricultural resilience.
As a virtual centre, the Teagasc Climate Centre coordinates agricultural climate and biodiversity research and innovation across the organization.
Its efforts underline the importance of science in guiding Irish agriculture toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.