AgNUE: Danish Technological Institute becomes part of an international research platform focused on improved nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture

 In Danish
Project period: 2026–2031
 

The international research platform AgNUE will be launched this year with a clear mission: To improve nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture.

Over the next five years, the platform will work to reduce nitrogen losses to the environment — without compromising crop productivity. This will be achieved by collecting comprehensive data from intensively monitored experimental sites in several countries, improving the precision of models that simulate nitrogen dynamics, and evaluating how different cultivation practices affect emissions, yields, and the environment.

A Global Challenge

Nitrogen losses from agriculture are not only a Danish problem — they are a global one. Today, models are used to simulate and estimate how nitrogen moves through agricultural systems and what effects it has on crops and the environment. Improving these models is crucial, as they help bridge the gap between the scientific understanding of the nitrogen cycle and the implementation of policy measures aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution.

In the SmartField initiative (link), we are working to improve how we quantify and reduce nitrous oxide emissions (N₂O) from Danish agricultural land. Since its launch in 2024, SmartField has collaborated with leading international research groups in a mutual exchange of knowledge and experience.

It is therefore a major step that we can now announce the expansion of the SmartField concept to the international level through the new research platform AgNUE. AgNUE — Agricultural Nitrogen Use Efficiency Platform — is an international research and innovation initiative focused on improving nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture and reducing environmental losses.

Better Data for Better Models

The goal of AgNUE is to create a stronger foundation for the development of models for decision-making and documentation of mitigation measures, as well as for the implementation of such measures — both nationally and globally.

Danish Technological Institute is a partner in the project and contributes to:

• measurement infrastructure and field data collection
• quality assurance and standardization of data flows and procedures across experimental sites
• development of a shared data platform for data modeling

At the same time, we are bringing the experience gained from SmartField into the project. These experiences help support AgNUE’s ambition to establish comparable and reliable measurements across countries, climates, and cropping systems. SmartField’s data and measurement infrastructure will also become part of AgNUE.

International Collaboration

AgNUE, which is led by Aarhus University (Denmark), brings together universities and research organizations specializing in soil biogeochemistry, agroecosystem modeling, microbiology, meteorology, and sustainable agronomy. The platform is funded with up to EUR 24 million by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and also receives support from U.S.-based funding sources.

The partners are drawn from across Europe and the United States:

• Aarhus University (Denmark)
• Danish Technological Institute (Denmark)
• North Carolina State University (USA)
• University of Illinois (USA)
• Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands)
• University of Basilicata (Italy)
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany)
• Colorado State University (USA)
• Technical University of Madrid (Spain)
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden)
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway)
• University of Helsinki (Finland)
• INRAE – the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (France)