REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION INTENSITY IN SECOND-CROP MAIZE USING NITROGEN FERTILIZER WITH INHIBITOR

Brazil is a global leader in agriculture and livestock production, a sector that accounts for around 25% of the national GDP. However, the activity faces the challenge of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as nitrogen fertilizers are one of the main sources of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and ammonia (NH₃) volatilization losses. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of different nitrogen-source technologies in maize cultivation, focusing on productivity and sustainability parameters such as ammonia volatilization and GHG emissions. The experiment was conducted in Piracicaba, São Paulo, on a Red-Yellow Latosol. A randomized block design was used, with five replications and six treatments: ammonium nitrate, conventional urea, urea + NBPT (Excellen®), urea + NBPT + stabilizer, and a control (without N). The treatments received 120 kg/ha of N applied as topdressing. Excellen® showed the lowest N₂O emission factor (0.5%) compared with conventional urea (1.0%). Furthermore, Excellen® significantly reduced GHG emission intensity when compared with ammonium nitrate and urea, with reductions of 41% and 33%, respectively. It is concluded that Excellen® stands out as the most balanced nitrogen source, optimizing the relationship between profitability and sustainability through low emission intensity.