Harnessing Nitrogen Fixing Plants for a Bio-solar Nitrogen Economy

Authors

• Taufiq Nawaz, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Liping Gu, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• James Young, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Riffat Latif, South Dakota State University
• Mazhar Sher, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Lan Xu, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Shah Fahad, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Ruanbao Zhou, South Dakota State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2026

Abstract

The fossil fuel–driven chemosynthesis of ammonia for nitrogen fertilizers is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, releasing approximately 1130 million metric tons (MMT) of CO₂-equivalent annually. In addition, the extensive use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers (≈108 MMT annually) results in substantial emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O), while nearly 50% of applied nitrogen is lost through leaching and runoff, leading to widespread nitrate pollution and ecosystem degradation. In contrast, solar-powered biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by nitrogen-fixing plants offers a sustainable alternative that supports agricultural productivity and healthy ecosystem resilience. BNF by leguminous and non-leguminous plants plays a critical role in reducing dependence on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. Legumes alone contribute an estimated 32-149 kg·hm⁻² of fixed nitrogen annually. Beyond legumes, associative, endosymbiotic, and endophytic nitrogen fixation in non-legume plants further expands the ecological and taxonomic scope of BNF. Nitrogen-enriched cropping systems, such as legume–cereal rotations, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 88%, increase soil organic carbon stocks by approximately 8%, enhance soil microbiome activity by 45%, and provide farmers with 15–25% more stable revenues. Advances in biotechnology offer new opportunities to improve nitrogen fixation efficiency and develop novel nitrogen-fixing crops, including cereals and perennial fruit trees. By integrating nature’s evolutionary solutions (N₂-fixing plants) with modern biotechnology, agriculture can transition from a fossil fuel–based chemo-nitrogen economy to a solar-powered bio-nitrogen economy.

Publication Title

Resources, Environment and Sustainability

Volume

26

First Page

100359

DOI of Published Version

10.1016/j.resenv.2026.100359

Publisher

Elsevier

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Nawaz, Taufiq; Gu, Liping; Young, James; Latif, Riffat; Sher, Mazhar; Xu, Lan; Fahad, Shah; and Zhou, Ruanbao, "Harnessing Nitrogen Fixing Plants for a Bio-solar Nitrogen Economy" (2026). Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications. 355.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/nrm_pubs/355