JIRCAS Report 2014

Outcome of the 1st International Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) Workshop (2nd-3rd March, 2015 ; JIRCAS, Tsukuba, Japan)

Suppressing soil nitrification and increasing NUE is critical to reversing the N-fertilizer overuse and minimizing its environmental impact. Global nitrogen (N) fertilizer consumption has increased >10-fold since 1960s, but food grain production has only tripled during this period, resulting in a decrease in nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE). Of the 150 million tons of N-fertilizer currently applied to agricultural systems globally, up to 70% is not recovered by the crop and often results in negative environmental impact through pathways such as nitrate-leaching and nitrous oxide emissions1. Nitrate is an important groundwater pollutant and nitrous oxide (N2O) is a powerful greenhouse gas. Annual economic losses from lost N-fertilizer is estimated at 90 US$ billion. If this trend continues, annual N-fertilizer application will double by 2050 and global N2O emissions from agriculture will reach 19 million tons of N y-1 by then1.

Dr. Marcy Wilder, Senior Researcher in the Fisheries Division, serves as a speaker at the 2014 USJC-ACCJ Women in Business Summit

The 2014 U.S.-Japan Council (USJC)-American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Women in Business Summit was held at the ANA InterContinental Hotel in Tokyo on May 27, 2014. Dr. Marcy Wilder of the JIRCAS Fisheries Division attended the Summit as a speaker. The Summit aimed to bring together Japan’s many diverse women’s organizations that are working toward the goals of better conditions for and representation of women in the working environment in Japan, and featured a full program of speakers, panel discussions, workshops and networking opportunities throughout the day.