Citation Information

  • Title : Carbon footprint of conventional and organic crop production.; Ogljicni odtis konvencionalne in ekoloske poljedelske pridelave.
  • Source : Proceedings of the 42nd International Symposium on Agricultural Engineering, Actual Tasks on Agricultural Engineering, Opatija, Croatia, 25-28 February, 2014
  • Publisher : University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
  • Pages : 447-457
  • Year : 2014
  • Document Type : Journal Article
  • Language : English
  • Authors:
    • Al-Mansour, F.
    • Jejcic, V.
  • Climates:
  • Cropping Systems: Canola. Maize. Wheat. Organic farming systems.
  • Countries:

Summary

An analysis of the carbon footprint of conventional, integrated and organic crop production, and three sizes of farms was made. Conventional tillage and direct seeding were used in mentioned production systems. For the analysis of the carbon footprint, CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel (direct energy) consumed in the process of production of corn (for silage and grain), wheat, rapeseed, and sunflower were used. In addition to emissions from fossil fuels used in the production of mentioned crops, greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of organic and mineral fertilizers in the production and converted to CO 2 equivalents were also used. In the case of conventional production mineral fertilizers were used, in integrated production combination of mineral fertilizers and organic fertilizers and in organic production only organic fertilizer was used. The sum of emissions arising from fossil fuel use and emissions from fertilizers used in the cultivation process, make final emission from crop production. It was estimated that the emissions of CO 2/t of yields in conventional and integrated production are about the same. In organic production emissions of CO 2/t of yields are higher in comparison with emissions CO 2/t of yields in conventional and integrated farming. CO 2 emissions in conventional and organic production (CO 2/t of yield) are in the following proportions: corn for grain 1:1.34, corn for silage 1:1.52, wheat 1:1.53, rapeseed 1:1.47 and sunflower 1:1.2 (the higher is the number of organic production).

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