Investigating the Energy Consumption and Environmental Pollutants of Pumpkin Production (Case Study: Boroujerd County)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

2 Faculty Member in Department of Agricultural Machinery Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

In this study, the energy consumption and environmental effects of pumpkin production in Boroujerd county have been investigated. To evaluate energy in pumpkin production, energy ratio (ER), energy productivity (EP), energy intensity (EI) and net energy gain (NEG) indices were obtained. The values ​​of 1.6, 2.1 kg.MJ-1, 0.4 MJ.kg-1, 10,952 MJ.ha-1 were obtained, respectively. The results showed total input and output energy was 16,191 and 27,143 MJ.ha-1, respectively. Chemical fertilizers and diesel fuel had the highest energy consumption among the inputs. Environmental effects were assessed with a life cycle approach using the CML model. Nitrogen fertilizer with 48% in acidification and pesticides with 90% in global warming accounted for the highest share of these impact categories. It is suggested that the use of fertilizers and chemical pesticides be managed by educating farmers to save energy, economic and environmental benefits.

Keywords


Anomymous. (2018). Agricultural Structure (Production, Price, Value) http://app.fao.org/faosat.
Azarpour, E., Mehr, S.A., Moraditochaee, M., & Reza, H. (2013). Evaluation greenhouse gases and energy of pumpkin production in north of Iran. International Journal of Biosciences (IJB), 3(8), 182-190.
Bathish, H. (2006). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Justifying Incremental Costs of Energy Efficiency Equipment. Conference on Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Management Methodologies, 4-5Th December, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Canakci, M., & Akinci, I. (2006). Energy use pattern analyses of greenhouse vegetable production. Energy, 31, 1243-1256.
Chu, C.C., Hasan, Z.A.B.A., Chua, S.K., & Nyam, K.L. (2020). Formulation and Characterization of Novel Nanostructured Lipid Carriers with Photoprotective Properties Made from Carnauba Wax, Beeswax, Pumpkin Seed Oil, and UV Filters. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 97(5), 531-542.‏
Costa, D., Jesus, J. Silva, J.V. e & Silveira, M. (2018). Life Cycle Assessment of Bioethanol Production from Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) in an Experimental Plant. BioEnergy Research, 11(3), 715-725.
Feyzbakhsh, M.T., & Alizadeh, P. (2017). Comparison of Silage Corn (Zea mays L.) and Forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) Productions in Terms of Energy Consumption and Global Warming Potential in Gorgan Region. Agroecology, 10(1), 218-233. (In Farsi).
Haroni, S., Sheykhdavodi, M.J., & Kiani Deh Kiani, M. (2017). Application of Artificial Neural Networks for Predicting the Yield and GHG Emissions of Sugarcane Production. Journal of Agricultural Machinery, 8(2), 389-401. (In Farsi).
Hosini  N,  Haji  Hasani  N., &  Resaeefar,  M. (2009). Evaluation  energy  balance  of  pumpkin  production pumpkin   in   Khoy,   Iran.   Research   of   Agronomical Science, 1(4), 15-24.
ISO. (2006b). Environmental Management - Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and Framework ISO 14040.
Kaab, A., Sharifi, M., Mobli, H., Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A., & Chau, K. W. (2019a). Combined life cycle assessment and artificial intelligence for prediction of output energy and environmental impacts of sugarcane production. Science of the Total Environment, 664, 1005-1019.‏
Kaab, A., Sharifi, M., Mobli, H., Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A., & Chau, K.W. (2019b). Use of optimization techniques for energy use efficiency and environmental life cycle assessment modification in sugarcane production. Energy, 181, 1298-1320.
Khanali, M., Ostad Kalayeh, M., Movahedi, M., & Dehban, H. (2015). Evaluation of the Life Cycle of Honey Production Case Study of Najafabad County, International Conference on Environmental Science, Engineering and Technology, Tehran, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran. (In Farsi).
Kouchaki-Penchah, H., Sharifi, M., Mousazadeh, H., & Zarea-Hosseinabadi, H. (2016a). Life cycle assessment of medium-density fiberboard manufacturing process in IR Iran. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112: 351-358.
Kouchaki-Penchah, H., Sharifi, M., Mousazadeh, H., Zarea-Hosseinabadi, H., & Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A. (2016b). Gate to gate life cycle assessment of flat pressed particleboard production in Islamic Republic of Iran. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112: 343-350.
Kumari, T., Singh, R., & Verma, P. (2019). Agriculture, forest and environmental management trinity: towards environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation.‏
Li, D., Ma, J., Cheng, T., van Genderen, J.L., & Shao, Z. (2019). Challenges and opportunities for the development of megacities. International Journal of Digital Earth, 12(12), 1382-1395.‏
Mills, E. (2012). The carbon footprint of indoor Cannabis production. Energy Policy, 46, 58-67.
Mohseni, P., Borgheei, A.M., & Khanali, M. (2019). Energy Consumption Analysis and Environmental Impact Assessment of Grape Production in Hazavah Region of Arak City. Journal of Agricultural Machinery, 9(1), 177-193. (In Farsi).
Morid Ahmadi, S., Khorramdel, S., Koocheki, A., Shabahang, J., & Maollafilabi, A. (2019). Evaluation of yield and yield components of pumpkin (Cucrbita pepo L.) and land equivalent ratio affected as row intercropping with some field crops. Agroecology, 10(4), 965-981. (In Farsi).
Ntinas, G. K., Neumair, M., Tsadilas, C. D., & Meyer, J. (2017). Carbon footprint and cumulative energy demand of greenhouse and open-field tomato cultivation systems under Southern and Central European climatic conditions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 3617-3626.
Paratscha, R., von der Thannen, M., Smutny, R., Lampalzer, T., Strauss, A., & Rauch, H. P. (2019). Screening LCA of torrent control structures in Austria. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 24(1), 129-141.‏
Pimentel, D. (1980). Handbook of Energy Utilization in Agriculture. CRC Press, Inc.
PRé Consultants. (2013). Introduction to LCA with SimaPro.
Shabanzadeh, M ., Esfanjari Kenari, R., & Rezaei, A. (2015). Investigating the energy pattern of tomato production in Khorasan Razavi province. Journal of Agricultural Machinery, 6(2), 524-536. (In Farsi).
Sharifi, M. (2018). Energy inputs - Yield relationship and cost analysis of melon production in Khorasan Razavi province of Iran. Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, 11, 109-113.
Suh, S., Lenzen, M., Treloar, G.J., Hondo, H., Horvath, A., Huppes, G., Jolliet, O., Klann, U., Krewitt, W., Moriguchi, Y., & Munksgaard, J. (2004). System boundary selection in life-cycle inventories using hybrid approaches. Environmental Science & Technology, 38(3), 657-664.
Tilman, D., Kenneth, G., Cassman, P.A., Matson, R.N., & Stephen, P. (2002). Agricultural Sustainability and Intensive Production Practices. Nature 418, no. 6898: 671-77.
Yousefinejad, M., Nabavi-Pelesaraei, A., & Sharifi, M. (2015). Assessment of energy consumption and environmental pollution in the Garlic production process Gilan Province: Case Study city Langrood. 1st International Conference on Environmental Engineering. February 5, 2015, Tehran, Iran. (In Farsi).