Viruses Offer Potential to Curb greenhouse Gas Emissions from Farmland
Viruses, frequently enough viewed as harmful pathogens, may hold a surprising key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. A new study published in the journal Nitrogen Cycling reveals that viruses can significantly lower emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas, by specifically targeting the microbes responsible for its production. N2O traps up to 300 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2), and a large portion originates from agricultural soils during a process called denitrification – where microbes convert excess fertilizer into nitrogen gases.
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences investigated the impact of viruses on N2O emissions using soil samples from heavily fertilized farmland in northern China, an area known for significant nitrogen losses.they added virus extracts, cultivated in a laboratory setting, to the soil and meticulously monitored gas levels alongside conducting genetic sequencing. The results were promising: the addition of viruses reduced N2O emissions by as much as 20%.
The scientists discovered that viral infection suppressed key bacterial groups, including pseudomonadota, which possess the genetic machinery needed to produce nitrous oxide. This suppression directly translated to a decrease in greenhouse gas production.
Further analysis revealed that soils with higher virus concentrations exhibited more intricate interactions between viruses and microbes, suggesting that viral activity actively reshapes the soil’s microbial community. While the study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, the researchers believe that if these findings are replicated in real-world agricultural settings, “viral regulation of soil microbes could be a new tool to reduce the ecological footprint of agriculture.” This opens up a potentially innovative avenue for mitigating climate change through harnessing the power of the microbial world.
