Less Air Pollution Leads to Higher Crop Yields
Published:06 Jun.2022 Source:Stanford University
Usually, increasing agricultural productivity depends on adding something, such as fertilizer or water. A new Stanford University-led study reveals that removing one thing in particular -- a common air pollutant -- could lead to dramatic gains in crop yields.
The analysis, published June 1 in Science Advances, uses satellite images to reveal for the first time how nitrogen oxides -- gases found in car exhaust and industrial emissions -- affect crop productivity. Its findings have important implications for increasing agricultural output and analyzing climate change mitigation costs and benefits around the world.