title: Effects of disease control by fungicides on greenhouse gas emissions by U.K. arable crop production.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The U.K. government has published plans to reduce U.K. agriculture's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, the goal of global food security requires an increase in arable crop yields. Foliar disease control measures such as fungicides have an important role in meeting both objectives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It is estimated that U.K. winter barley production is associated with GHG emissions of 2770 kg CO2 eq. ha(-1) of crop and 355 kg CO2 eq. t(-1) of grain. Foliar disease control by fungicides is associated with decreases in GHG emissions of 42-60 kg CO2 eq. t(-1) in U.K. winter barley and 29-39 kg CO2 eq. t(-1) in U.K. spring barley. The sensitivity of these results to the impact of disease control on yield and to variant GHG emissions assumptions is presented. Fungicide treatment of the major U.K. arable crops is estimated to have directly decreased U.K. GHG emissions by over 1.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2009.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crop disease control measures such as fungicide treatment reduce the GHG emissions associated with producing a tonne of grain. As national demand for food increases, greater yields as a result of disease control also decrease the need to convert land from non-arable to arable use, which further mitigates GHG emissions.
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Simon D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gladders
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jeger
authors.forename: Bruce Dl
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Fitt
mesh_terms: D057486:Carbon Cycle; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D005523:Food Supply; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005659:Fungicides, Industrial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D001467:Hordeum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012621:Seasons; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D005659:Fungicides, Industrial; D002245:Carbon Dioxide