Nitrous oxide research aims to improve our ability to measure nitrous oxide emissions from soils and develop our understanding of the processes by which direct and indirect nitrous oxide is produced. The abatement research primarily focuses on strategies that farmers can adopt now to reduce nitrogen loss while improving nitrogen use efficiency and productivity. 

The national Nitrous Oxide Research Program (NORP) was funded by the Australian Government's Climate Change Research Program. PICCC researchers led three NORP projects, investigating nitrous oxide emission processes and abatement from cropping, livestock and mixed farming systems. Each of these projects was completed in 2012. A new round of nitrous oxide projects are underway, coordinated through the National Agricultural Nitrous Oxide Research Program and funded through the Australian Government’s Filling the Research Gap Program.