Capital expenditure under the Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Action on the Ground project “Determining optimum N strategies for abatement of emissions for different irrigated cotton systems” resulted in the procurement of automated weather stations and semi-automated greenhouse gas sampling systems to service the three core sites of the project.

Soil moisture is a key driver in the generation of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas released during some stages of nitrogen cycling. This equipment has allowed the remote monitoring of weather conditions to guide project staff in sampling strategies. Additionally, continued sampling for greenhouse gases during very wet weather is possible utilising the semi-automated systems. It is these very wet conditions that are critical in determining greenhouse gas emissions, yet are prohibitive of safe access by sampling teams.