Nitrogen oxides and tropical agriculture

From research on agricultural systems in temperate regions, it is known that use of nitrogen fertilizers and animal manure results in release of nitrous (N2O) and nitric (NO) oxides to the atmosphere. The reason for caring about this phenomenon is the effect these gases may have on both global warming and atmospheric chemistry. From studies in the tropics, it now seems that releases of (N2O) and NO are much higher from tropical agricultural systems. Given the projected large increase in use of nitrogen fertilizer in such areas in the coming years, that conclusion warrants further attention.