Researchers at the University of East Anglia are investigating how much of a "climate-cooling" gas is produced in Norfolk farm fields.
Solar-powered gas sensors have been installed in barley fields at Easton College to find out how farmland may act as a source of dimethylsulfide (DMS).
This gas is produced when a molecule called dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is degraded by microbes in the soil.
UEA researchers, working in collaboration with Plymouth Marine Laboratory and Cranfield University, hope the project could lead to improved crop productivity and new climate change mitigation strategies.
Lead researcher Dr Ben Miller, from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, said: "We want to better understand how much of the climate-cooling gas DMS is produced in agriculture.
"And we are also studying how DMSP helps crops tolerate environmental stresses, such as heat and drought, and crop yield."
READ MORE: Norfolk 'flux towers' collect data on farm carbon emissions
Once released into the atmosphere, DMS is oxidised and cools the planet through the production of clouds, which block sunlight from reaching the earth’s surface, said the research team.
Prof Jon Todd, also from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, said: "Marine algae, corals and bacteria are already well-known DMSP producers, but many plants on land also create this molecule, including some at very high levels, like spartina – a type of saltmarsh grass found in coastal areas.
"However, few agricultural species have been tested for the ability to produce DMSP. Data shows that DMSP is present in the soil around crop roots, and microbial DMS production is similar to levels of those in seawater."
Dr Rocky Payet, also from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, said: "As a result, the global production of DMSP and DMS from agriculture is likely underestimated, and our new study aims to quantify just how much it could be."
Dr Miller added: "Working out exactly where and how much DMSP and DMS is produced in agriculture is key to understanding the significance of these processes, how agricultural practices influence them and implications for our climate.
"Our plan is to develop tools to improve crop productivity, food security and provide greener agricultural systems."
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