Legumes or nitrification inhibitors to reduce N 2 O emissions from subtropical cereal cropping systems in Oxisols?

•N2O emissions from cereal crops were directly correlated to fertilizer N rates.•Legumes reduced fertilizer N requirements and N2O emissions during the cereal phase.•Fertilizer N reductions in cereal after legume did not result in lower cereal yields.•Nitrification inhibitors decreased N2O emissions but did not increase cereal yields.