Assessment of yield and input-output energy and economic indicators in different tillage and fertilizer systems of corn (Zea mays L.)

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

• Maryam Mazarei ¹
• Ahmad Ghanbari ¹
• Mehdi Dahmardeh ¹
• Seyed Ataollah Siadat ²
• Somayeh Dehdari ³

¹ Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Zabol University, Zabol, Iran

² Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Ramin University, Khoozestan, Iran

³ Department of Rangeland and Watershed Management, University of Environment and Natural Resource, Behbahan, Iran,

10.22067/jag.v11i2.68001

Abstract

Introduction
Although industrial agriculture achievements are undeniable, its negative consequences such as biodiversity loss, pollination and human health are remarkable. Currently, yields of the world’s four most important crops would need to increase by around 60-110% by 2050. Agro ecological practices contribute to agro ecosystem redesign, efficiency increase and substitution practices based on various processes such as bio fertilizer, reduced tillage, reducing the use of nonrenewable energy. Corn is an important crop in the world and Khuzestan with a huge amount of inputs and energy uses during its production. There for, the assessment of agro ecological practices is essential for sustainability in corn production.
Material and method
In order to study yield, energy input-output and economic indicators under different tillage and fertilizer cropping systems of corn, a split plot experiment in complete randomized design with three replications, was conducted at agricultural fields under Behbahan condition during 2015 and 2016. The experimental factors included different tillage systems (minimum (MT), reduced (RT) and conventional (CT)) as main plots and fertilizer patterns (bio fertilizer (B), manure (E), recommended chemical fertilizer rate (H) and half of recommended chemical fertilizer (L), integrated bio fertilizer and chemical fertilizer (BL), integrated manure and chemical (EL), and integrated bio fertilizer and manure as subplots. Assessment of energy indicators evaluated based on the energy output-input ratio. Human labor, machinery, diesel oil, fertilizer and seed amounts were the inputs and yield values from different treatments considered as output. Energy equivalents were used for this estimation. Based on the energy equivalents of inputs and outputs, energy use efficiency, energy productivity, specific energy and net energy was calculated. The production costs of each treatment included the land value, water value, fertilizer, fuel, human labor and tillage.
Result and Discussion
The results indicated that the highest grain (10005Kg ha-1) and straw yields (8409 Kg ha-1) belonged to ELRT treatment. The current study demonstrated that MT and RT with BI and EI have significant effects on grain yield. The results of data analysis indicated that maximum and minimum input energy was 45886.7 and 28392.9 MJ ha-1 in ELCT and BMT treatments, respectively. The greatest contribution from total energy belonged to energy of machinery (10375.3 MJ ha-1) and human labor (5142.6 MJ ha-1) in ELCT treatment. Highest and lowest energy of fertilizer belonged to EL (11762.2 MJ h-1) and B(5.96MJ ha-1), respectively. The input of energy for seed and irrigation water in all treatments was same (519 and 20016.7 Mg ha-1 , respectively) ELRT and BCT treatments produced the highest and lowest output energy with 309459.5 and 178965 Mg ha-1. The BMT provided the highest energy use efficiency (8.59), energy productivity (0.28 Kg Mg-1). Maximum specific energy (32.64MJ ha-1) belonged to BECT. ELRT and LCT produced the highest (266051 MJ ha-1) and the lowest (145119 MJ ha-1) net energy. Among different tillage systems, the highest energy use efficiency (7.42), and productivity energy (0.24 Kg Mg-1), net energy (225622 Mg) were calculated in MT.
Economic analysis indicated that maximum and minimum total cost of production were 44288247.5 and 32097340 Rials ha-1 that related to ELCT and BMT treatments, respectively. The highest (113750572 Rials ha-1) and lowest (64987312 Rials ha-1) gross value were obtained ELRT and BCT, although maximum (69810430 Rials ha-1) and minimum (31400201Rials ha-1) net revenue was calculated ELRT and LRT respectively.
Conclusion
Application of minimum and reduced tillage, bio fertilizer and manures and integration with half of recommended chemical fertilizer, are the effective strategy to improve resource management in agriculture. Moreover, effective energy use in agriculture is one of the conditions for sustainable agricultural production, since it provides financial saving, fossil resources preservation and air pollution reduction.

Keywords

• Cropping systems
• efficiency use of energy
• Input
• net revenue
• Sustainable agriculture

20.1001.1.20087713.1398.11.2.4.1

---

References

Archer, D.W., Pikul, Jr. JL., and Riedell, W.E. 2002. Economic risk, returns and input use under ridge and conventional tillage in northern Corn Belt, USA. Soil and Tillage 67: 1-8.

Asgharipour, M.R., Mondani, F., and Riahinia S.H. 2012. Energy use efficiency and economic analysis of sugar beet production system in Iran: A case study in Khorasan Razavi province. Energy 44: 1078-1084.

Banaeian, N., and Zangeneh, M. 2011.Study on energy in corn production of Iran. Energy 36: 5394-5402.

Bastian, O., Syrbe, R.U., Rosenberg, M., Rahe, D., and Grunewald, K. 2013. The five pillar EPPS framework for quantifying, mapping and managing ecosystem services. Ecosystem Services 4: 15–24.

Beheshti Tabar, I., Keyhani, A.R., and Rafiee, S. 2010. Energy balance in Iran Agronomy. Renew. Energy 14: 489-855.

Boehmel, C., Lewandowski, I., and Claupein, W. 2008. Comparing annual and perennial energy cropping systems with different management intensities. Agricultural Systems 96: 224- 236.

Castoldi, N., and Bechini, L. 2010. Integrated sustainability assessment of cropping systems with agroecological and economic indicators in northern Italy. European Journal of Agronomy 32: 59–72.

Clements, D.R., Weise, S.F., Brown, R., Stone House, D.P., Hume, D.J., and Sunten, C.J. 1995. Energy analysis of tillage and herbicide inputs in alternative weed management systems. Journal Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 52: 119-128.

Ebrahim Ghoochi, Z., Mohsenabadi, G., Ehteshami, S.M., and Forghani, A. 2013. Integrated application of chemical, manure and biological fertilizers on growth characteristics of forage corn in Rasht region. Cereal Research 3 (2): 143-154. (In Persian with English summary)

Eidizadeh, K., Mahdavi Damghani, A.M., Ebrahimpoor, F., and Sabahi, H. 2011. Effects of integrated application of biological and chemical fertilizer and application method of biofertilizer on yield and yield components of maize. Electronic Journal of Crop Production 4 (3):21-35. (In Persian with English Summary)

El Gayar, O.F., and Leung, P. 2001. A multiple criteria decision making framework for regional aquaculture development. European Operation Research 133: 462-482.

Feyzbakhsh, M.T., and Soltani, A. 2013. Energy flow and global warming potential of corn farm (Gorgan City). Electronic Journal of Crop Production 6 (2):89-107. (In Persian with English Summary)

Gliessman, S.R. 2006. Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems, 2nd edn. CRC Press, p. 408.

Hamzei, J., and Seyyedi, M. 2016. Energy use and input- output costs for sunflower production in sole and intercropping with soybean under different tillage systems. Soil and Tillage Research 157: 73-82.

Jahan, M., Koocheki, A., and Nassiri Mahallati, M. 2007. The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and free living nitrogen fixing bacteria on growth, photosynthesis and yield of corn in conventional and ecological. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 5 (1):53-67. (In Persian with English Summary)

Jahan, M., Koocheki, A., Ghorbani, R., Rajai, F., Aryayi, M., and Ebrahimi, E. 2009. The effect of biological fertilizers application on some agroecological characteristics of corn under conventional and ecological cropping systems. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 7(2): 375-390. (In Persian with English Summary)

Janssen, S., and Van Ittersum, M.K., 2007. Assessing farm innovation and response to policities: A review of bio- economic farm model. Agriculture System 94:622-636.

Kazemi, H., Alizadeh, P., and Nehbandani, A., 2016. Assessig energy flow in rainfed and irrigated wheat fields of Shahrekourd town ship under two tillage systems. Journal of Agroecology 8 (2): 281-295. (In Persian with English Summary)

Komeili, H.R., Rezvani Moghaddam, P., Ghodsi, M., Nassiri Mahallati, M., and Jalal Kamali, M.R. 2016. Effect of different tillage methods and the rate of crop residues on yield, yield components and economic efficiency of wheat. Cereal Research 6(3):323-337. (In Persian with English Summary).

Lorzadeh, S.H., Mahdavidameghani, A., Enayatgholizadeh, M.R., and Yosefi, M., 2012. Research of energy use efficiency for maize production system in Izeh, Iran. Acta Agriculture Slovinica 99:137-142.

Lu, H., Bai, Y., Ren, H., and Campbell, D.E., 2010. Integrated emergy, energy and economic evaluation of rice and vegetable production systems in alluvial paddy fields: implications for agricultural policy in China. Journal of Environmental Management 91:2727e35.

Matar, A., and Harris, H., 1994. Impact of a long-term rotation on soil aggregation and its implications for cropping. In: Farm Resource Management Program. Annual Report for 1994. ICARDA, Syria.

Mihov, M., Antonova, G., Masheva, S., and Yankova, V. 2012. Energy assessment of conventional and organic production of head cabbage. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science 18 (3): 320-324.

Moerschner, J., and Gerowitt, B., 2000. Direct and indirect energy use in arable farming - An example on winter wheat in Northern Germany. In: Weidema, B.P., and Meeusen, M.J.G (Eds.). Agricultural Data for Life Cycle Assessments. The Hague, Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), p. 1-195.

Moradi, R., Kooheki, A., Nassiri Mahallati, M., and Mansoori, H. 2015. Effect of tillage, Residue management and nitrogen fertilizer on carbon balance and global warming potential in Maize cultivation .Journal of Agriculture Sience and Sustainable Production 25 (1): 29-42. (In Persian with English Summary)

Nguyan, M.L., and Haynes, R.J. 1995. Energy and labour efficiency for three pairs of conventional and alliterative mixed cropping (pasture-arable) farms in Canterbury, New Zealand. Journal of Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 52: 163-172.

Pimentel, D., Berardi, G., and Fast, S. 1983. Energy efficiency of farming system: Organic and conventional agriculture. Journal of Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 9: 359-372.

Pimentel, D., Harvey, C., Resosudarmo, P., Sinmlair, K., Kurz, D., Mcnair, M., Crist, S., Shpretz, L., Fitton, L., Saffouri, R., and Blair, R. 1995. Environmental and economic costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits. Science 267: 1117-1123.

Porter, P.M., Huggins, D.R., Perillo, C.A., Quiring, S.R., and Crookston, R.K. 2003. Organic and Other Management Strategies with Two- and Four-Year Crop Rotations in Minnesota. Agronomy Journal 95: 233-244.

Rajaby, M.H., Soltani, A., Zeinali, E., and Soltani, E. 2012. Evaluation of energy use in wheat production in Gorgan. Journal of Plant Production 19 (3): 143-172.

Radwan, S.M., Hussein, H.F., Rubio, J.L., Morgan, R.P., Asins, S., and Andreu, V. 2002. Response of wheat plants to bio and organic fertilization under different weed control treatments. Proceeding of International Congress on "Man and Soil". 28 March-1 April, Valencia, Spain. P. 1015-1023.

Shahgholi, H., Asgharipour, M.R., Khamari, I., and Ghadiri, A. 2016. The effect of various input intensities on yield components of common bean varieties .Sustainable Agriculture and Production Science 26(4): 49- 61.

Sip, V., Ruzek, P., Chrpova, J., Vavera, R., and Kusa, H. 2009. The effect of tillage practice, input level and environment on the grain yield of winter wheat in the Czech Republic. Field Crops Research 113: 131–137.

Soltani, A., Rajabi, M.H., Zeinali, E., and Soltani, E. 2010. Evaluation of environmental impact of crop production using LCA: wheat in Gorgan. Electronic Journal of Crop Production 3 (3): 201-218. (In Persian with English Summary)

Spaccini, R., Mbagwu, J.S.C., Igwe, C.A., Conte, P., and Piccolo, A. 2004. Carbohydrate and aggregation in lowland soils of Nigeria as influenced by organic input. Soil Tillage Research 75:161-172.

Tellarini, V. and Caporali, F. 2000. An input/output to evaluate farms as sustainable agroecosystems: an application of indicators to farms in central Italy. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 77: 111-123.

Tipraqsa, P., Craswell, E.T., Noble, A.D., and Schmidt-Vogt, D. 2007. Resource integration for multiple benefits: Multifunctionality of integrated farming systems in Northeast Thailand. Agricultural Systems 94: 694–703.

Wezel, A., David, C., Ferrer, A., Letort, A., Feret, S., Peigne, J., Vian, J.F., and Celette, F. 2014. Agroecological practice supporting the provision of goods and services in agriculture: Example from France and Europe. Isaralyon.p. 68.

Wei, Y., Davidson, B., Chen, D., and White, R. 2009. Balancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of agroecosystems: An integrated modeling approach. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 131: 263–273.

Xu, W., and Mage, J.A. 2001. A review of concepts and criteria for assessing agroecosystem health including a preliminary case study of southern Ontario. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 83: 215–233.