Environmental Impacts of Progressive and Conventional Management in Winter Wheat Cropping System of Mayamey Plain in Shahrood, Using the Lifecycle Assessment Methodology

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

1 Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrood University of Technology

2 University of Khorramabad

Abstract

Introduction
Food security in parallel with the preservation of environment and natural resources, has become a critical issue in the world. Wheat as the main food for human has allocated the high cultivation area each year in the world and in Iran as well. Agricultural systems due to the consumption of fossil fuels and chemical output has introduced as the biggest consumers of energy and natural resources, also it has contributed serious role in bio environment problems (Roy et al., 2005). The environment seeks a system to provide the necessities of current generation,   as well as prevention of resources s for the next generation.  To study the positive and negative effects of cropping systems, the researchers have introduced multiple methods to study bio environment effects. In this regard, one of the best method is the life cycle assessment (LCA). Management method plays critical role in bio environment effects of cropping systems. LCA study of wheat frequency has conducted in Iran and the world. This study compares two conventional and progressive cropping management systems of winter wheat in Mayamey farms in Shahrood city using the life cycle assessment method.
 
Materials and Methods
Life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using data of winter wheat fields in Mayamey, (Shahrood city) with two conventional and progressive management methods.  LCA includes four steps  (purpose definition, study practice area, assessment the effect of life cycle ,results integration and interpretation). At the first step,  the functional unit of one ton was determined,  then data was classified, normalized and weighted, finally the indices of global warming, eutrophication of agro ecology,  discharge potential for possible recyclable resources , poisoning and land use were analyzed .
 
Results and Discussion
The ecology index resulted from LCA method in progressive management is higher than conventional management.  The emission rate of effective greenhouse gases for global heating potential index in the studied cropping systems is 461.98, 309.48 units equal to CO2 kg for the conventional and progressive management of wheat fields respectively. Potential of acidification index in agroecosystems with different conventional and progressive managements are 4.43 and 3.13 units equal to SO2 kg per functional unit. Results shown that the bioenvironment effects of  eutrophication potential in  dry systems in winter wheat production was 33.35 in conventional agroecosystem and 23.75 for progressive agroecosystem per NOx kg dissemination . Results of discharge potential for possible recyclable resources shown the highest gas use is 2.54 m3.ha-1 in conventional agroecosystem and 1.53 m3.ha-1 in progressive agroecosystem respectively, while other non-renewable sources such as rock phosphate and potash were 6.75 and 3.39 in conventional afro ecology respectively and this amount was 5.25 for phosphate and 2.43 for potash in progressive agroecosystem. The study indicated that in conventional managed farm the poisoning effects of heavy metals cadmium for human and dry agroecosystem were 0.00033 and 1.40200, respectively, where it was 0.00030 and 1.28501 in agroecosystem for progressive management. The occupied land for each ton of wheat was computed as 1840 for progressive management and 1493.3 m3 for conventional management.
Conclusion
Results of LCA shown that phosphate resources depletion  for discharge potential index of renewable resources and eutrophication of dry agroecosystem has more bioenvironment effects than other  indices, also the results of both conventional and progressive management of winter wheat agroecosystem shown that  the bio environment effects of progressive management has been more than the conventional management, while it is shown higher yield and the higher use of inputs don't mean higher yield necessarily. Results may be important for farmers and agriculture managers in the region in case of a sustainable management procedure. 

Keywords


Amiri, S.R., and Rezvani moghaddam, P. 2016. Study and economic analysis of energy inputs and outputs in the city of Zarand in Kerman pistachio production ecosystems. Journal of Agroecology 8(3): 452-462. (In Persian with English Summary)
Andersson, K., Ohlsson T., and Olsson, P. 1994. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of food products and production systems. Trends in Food Science and Technology 5: 134–138.
Barker-Reid, F., Gates, W.P., Wilson, K., Baigent, R., Galbally, I.E., Meyer, C.P., Weeks, I.A., and Eckard, R.J. 2005. Soil nitrous oxide emission from rainfed wheat in SE Australia. In A. van Amsted (Ed). Non-CO2 greenhouse gases (NCGG-4). Utrecht, the Netherlands: Millpress.
Barton, L., Kiese, R., Gatter, D., Butterbach-bahl, K., Buck, R., Hinz, C., and Murphy, D. 2008. Nitrous oxide emissions from a cropped soil in a semi-arid climate. Glob. Change Biol. 14, 17 192. of Practice’. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Brussels.
Braschkat, J., Patyk, A., Quirin, M., Reinhardt, G.A. 2003. Life cycle assessment of bread production–a comparison of eight different scenarios. In: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment in the Agri-Food Sector, October 6-8, Bygholm, Denmark. P. 9-16.
Brentrup, F., Kusters, J., Kuhlmann, H., and Lammel, J. 2001. Application of the life cycle assessment methodology to agricultural production: an example of sugar beet production with different forms of nitrogen fertilisers. European. Journal of. Agronomy 14: 221-233.
Brentrup, F. 2003. Life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of arable crop production, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Hannover, Germany.
Brentrup, F., Kusters, J., Kuhlmann, H., and Lammel, J. 2004a. Environmental impacts assessment of agricultural production systems using the life cycle assessment methodology, I. Theorical concept of a LCA method tailored to crop production. European Journal of Agronomy 20: 247-264.
Brentrup, F., Kusters, J., Lammel, J., Barraclough, P., and Kuhlmann, H. 2004b. Environmental impacts assessment of agricultural production systems using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, II. The application to N fertilizer use in winter wheat production systems. European Journal of Agronomy 20: 265-279.
Bouwman, A.F. 1990. Exchange of greenhouse gases between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere. Soils and the greenhouse effect. Chichester: Wiley.
Crutzen, P.J. 1981. Atmospheric chemical processes of the oxides of nitrogen, including nitrous oxide. In: C.C. Delwiche (Ed.), Denitrification, nitrification, and atmospheric nitrous oxide. New York: Wiley.
Cooper, J.M., Butler, G., and Leifert, C. 2011. Life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from organic and conventional food production systems, with an without bio-energy options. NJAS Wagening. Journal of Life Sciences. 58:185-192.
Fallahpour, F., Aminghafouri, A., GhalegolabBehbahani, A., and Bannayan, M. 2012. The environmental impact assessment of wheat and barley production by using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Environment, Development and. Sustainability 14: 979-992.
FAO. 2003. World Agriculture: Towards 2015/2030. An FAO Perspective. http://www.fao.orgFinkbeiner, M., Inaba, A., Tan, R.B.H., Christiansen, K. and Klüppel, H.J. 2006. The new international standards for life cycle assessment: ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 11: 80–85.
Finkbeiner, M., Inaba A., Tan, R.B.H., Christiansen, K., and Klüppel, H.J. 2006. The new international standards for life cycle assessment: ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 1(2): 80–85.
Gasol, C.M. Gabarrell, X., Anton, A., Rigola, M., Carrasco, J., Ciria, P., Solano, M.L., and Rieradevall, J. 2007. Life cycle assessment of a Brassica carinata bioenergy cropping system in southern Europe. Biomass and Bioenergy 31(8): 543-555.
Goebes, M.D., Strader, R., and Davidson, C. 2003. An ammonia emission inventory for fertilizer application in the United States. Atmospheric Environment 37(18): 2539-2550.
Hjjar poor, A., Miqdad, N., Soltani, A., and Prosper, B. 2016. Evaluation of adaptation strategies for future climate change Dymbh peas in Zanjan province. Journal of Agroecology 8(2):169-181. (In Persian with English Summary)
Hayashi, K. 2005. Practical implications of functional units in life cycle assessment for horticulture: Intensiveness and environmental impacts (Vol. 1, pp. 368–371). LCM2005: Innovation by Life Cycle Management: Barcelona, Spain.
ISO (International Organization for Standardization). 1997. Environmental management-Life cycle assessment-Principles and framework. International Standard ISO 14040, ISO, Geneva.
ISO (International Organization for Standardization). 2006. ISO 14040: 2006 (E) Environmental Management– Life Cycle Assessment– Principles and Framework.
Kazemi, H., Alizade, P., and Nahbandan, A. 2016. Check rainfed wheat fields and blue energy flow in this city under two tillage methods. Journal of Agroecology 8(2): 281-295. (In Persian with English Summary)
Khan, S., Khan, M.A., and Latif, N. 2010. Energy requirements and economic analysis of wheat, rice and barley production in Australia. The Soil Environment 29:61–68.
Khorramdel, S. 2012. Evaluation of the potential of carbon sequestration and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach in different management systems for corn. PhD Thesis, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. (In Persian with English Summary)
Khorramdel, S., RezvaniMoghaddam, P., and Amin Ghafori, A. 2014. Evaluation of environmental impacts for wheat agroecosystems of Iran by using life cycle assessment methodology. Cereal Research 4(1): 27-44. (In Persian with English Summary)
Mirhaji, H., Khojastehpour, M., Abaspour-fard, M.H., and MahdaviShahri, S.M. 2012. Environmental impact study of sugar beet production using life cycle assessment in Khorasan province. Agroecology 4: 112-120. (In Persian with English Summary).
Mirhaji, H., Khojastehpour, M., and Abaspour-Fard, M.H. 2013. Environmental effects of wheat production in the Marvdasht region. Journal of Natural Environment 66 (2): 223-232 (In Persian with English Summary)
Mollafilabi, A., Khorramdel, S., Amin Ghafori, A., and Hosseini, M. 2014. Evaluation of environmenta impacts for saffron agroecosystems of Khorasan based on nitrogen fertilizer by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Journal of Saffron Research 2(2): 165-179. (In Persian with English Summary)
Monti, A., Fazio, S., and Venturi, G. 2009. Cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessment in perennial energy crops. European. Journal of Agronomy 31: 77-84.
Moudrý, J., Jelinkova, Z., Plch, R., Moudrý, J., Konvalina, P., and Hyšpler, R. 2013. The emissions of greenhouse gases produced during growing and processing of wheat products in the Czech Republic. Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment 11 (1): 1133-1136.
Nassiri Mahallati, M., and Koocheki, A. 2018. Life cycle assessment (LCA) for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production systems of Iran: Comparison of Inputs Level. Agroecology 9(4): 972-999. (In Persian with English Summary)
Nikkhah, A., Taheri-Rad, A., Khojastehpour, M., Emadi, B., and Payman, S.H. 2014a. Environmental impacts of peanut production in Astaneh Ashrafiyeh of Guilan province. Agroecology 6(2): 373-282. (In Persian with English Summary)
OECD. 2001. Environmental Indicators for Agriculture–Methods and Results, vol. 3. OECD Publications, Paris, France, pp. 409.
Romero-Gomez, M., Suarez-Rey, E.M., Anton, A., Castilla, N., and Soriano, T. 2012. Environmental impact of screenhouse and open-field cultivation using a life cycle analysis: the case study of green bean production. Jornal of Cleaner Production 28: 63-69.
Roy, P., Shimizu, N., and Kimura, T. 2005. Life cycle inventory analysis of rice produced by local processes. Journal of JSAM 67(1):61–67.
Schröder, J.J., Aarts, H.F.M., Ten Berge, H.F.M., Van Keulen, H., and Neeteson, J.J. 2003. An evaluation of whole-farm nitrogen balances and related indices for efficient nitrogen use. European Journal of Agronomy 20: 33-44.
Soltani, A., Rajabi, M.H., Zeinali, E., and Soltani, E., 2010. Evaluation of environmental impact of crop production using LCA: wheat in Gorgan. EJCP 3(3): 201-218 (In Persian with English Summary)
Snyder, C.S., Bruulsema, T.W., Jensen, T.L., and Fixen, P.E. 2009. Review of greenhouse gas emissions from crop production systems and fertilizer management effects. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 133(3–4): 247
Taheri-Garavand, A., Asakereh, A., and Haghani, K. 2010. Energy elevation and economic analysis of canola production in Iran a case study: Mazandaran province. International Journal of Environmental Sciences 1: 236-242.
Tripathi, R.S., and Sah, V.K. 2001. Material and energy-flow in high-hill, midhill and village farming systems of Garhwal Himalaya. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 86(1):75-91.
Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D.J., May, M., Lewis, K.A., and Jaggard, K. 2005. An assessment of the energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) production in the UK. Agricultural Systems 85: 101-119.
Vandermeer, J. 2011. The Ecology of Agroecosystems. Jones and BartlettLearning, Science. 387 pp.
Zeinali, E. 2009. Wheat nitrogen nutrition in Gorgan; agronomical, physiological, and environmental aspects. PhD Thesis, Department of Agronomy, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. 201 p. (In Persian with English Summary)
CAPTCHA Image