Evaluation and comparison of the efficiency and sustainability of soybean production in Aq Qala and Aliabad-e-Katul counties based on the emergy analysis technique

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Agriculture Department University of Zabol

2 Associated Prof. Dept. of Agronomy, University of Zabol

3 Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran

10.22034/saps.2023.57633.3082

Abstract

Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficiency and sustainability of soybean (Glycine max L.) agricultural ecosystems in the counties of Aq Qala and Aliabad-e-Katul.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 2018-2019. First, resources were divided into four categories: renewable environmental resources, nonrenewable environmental resources, purchased renewable resources and purchased nonrenewable resources. After determining the inputs and outputs of farms and their emergy equivalent, emergy indices were evaluated. In this study, production systems of soybean were evaluated using emergy indices in counties of Aq Qala and Aliabad-e-Katul (Golestan province), by questionnaires and face to face interview with farmers and managers of farms.

Results: The total emergy input to soybean farming ecosystems in Aq Qala and Aliabad-e-Katul was 6.21E+16 and 6.42E+16 sej ha-1, respectively. In both agricultural ecosystems, dependence on non-renewable environmental inputs was much more than renewable environmental, renewable purchased and non-renewable purchased inputs, which was due to the large contribution of groundwater and soil erosion from the total emergy input.

Conclusion: Soybean production system in Aq Qala was more favorable in terms of resources use efficiency and environmental and economic sustainability than soybean production system in Aliabad-e-Katul. Implementation of the recommended solutions to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources in providing purchased inputs, along with awareness, education and encouragement of farmers in this field, is effective in increasing efficiency and environmental and economic sustainability in agricultural ecosystems.

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JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 19 January 2025

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