Document Type : Research Paper - Agroecology
Authors
1 PhD Candidate in Agronomy , Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid chamran University of ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid chamran University of ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid chamran University of ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
Background and objective
Considering the limited natural resources and the negative effects of inappropriate use of these resources on both human health and environment, addressing the patterns of energy consumption remains vital (Baran and Gokdogan, 2017; Ozkan et al, 2004).
Materials and methods
This study was conducted at the research farm of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in the summer of 2018. Experimental design was split-plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots consisted of agriculture production systems; intensive (all inputs e.g., fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides were chemical), sustainable (a combination of organic and intensive methods were used to manage this farming system), and organic (in this farming system, all inputs were organic and biological, no chemical fertilizers were applied. control of weeds was done mechanically). Sub plots consisted of three crops; corn (cereal), mung bean (legume) and sesame (oil seed). In this study, energy efficiency indices were calculated by measuring the energy equivalent of all inputs and outputs.
Results
Results showed that the highest and lowest grain yields for corn, mung bean and sesame were obtained in the intensive and organic systems, respectively. The lowest (1.18) and highest (3.69) energy use efficiencies were belonged to intensive sesame and organic corn, respectively. The highest amount of energy consumed (34396 MJha-1) was observed in intensive corn and the lowest with the value of 8247 MJ ha-1 was belonged to the organic mung bean. Additionally, intensive corn presented the highest (94045 MJ) output energy. On the other hand, organic mung bean showed the lowest value of the output energy (15279 MJ). Intensive corn and organic sesame had the highest and lowest amounts of net energy indices with the values of 59649 and 7032, respectively. Although corn yield in the organic system was nearly 30 percent lower than in the intensive system, energy consumption for organic corn was 50 percent lower than for intensive corn
Conclusion
To design an appropriate agroecosystem, it is necessary to consider a collection of agroecological indices e.g., energy use efficiency, net energy, energy utilization index, special energy, as well as crop production history and agricultural culture (human resource productivity index, agrochemical energy, greenhouse gas emission) to find a balance between both factors based on each region.
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