Carbon Footprint of Spring Maize Production System on State-Operated Farm in Northeast China Plain

Abstract:

In order to calculate the carbon footprint of agricultural production on farm, this paper, based on the investigation data of the farmers production, applying carbon footprint model, evaluated the carbon footprint (CF) of spring maize production systems (SMPS) on farm and its production teams in Northeast China Plain. The results were as follows: the CF of SMPS was 863.14.42±104.17 kg CO₂e ha^-1, in which chemical fertilizer accounted for 44.60%, mechanical operation accounted for 42.96%, seed accounted for 9.96%, and pesticides accounted for about 2.48%, respectively. The CF of SMPS in different production teams were significantly different (P<0.01), 18^th production teams was the highest (958.37±81.73 kg CO₂e ha^-1) and 19^th team was the lowest (767.84±45.98 kg CO₂e ha^-1). The differences of the CF of SMPSR among production teams almost was resulted from nitrous fertilizer using. Therefore, it had the potentiality of emission reduction in the production teams with higher CF. Using a fertilizer-saving way to build a low-carbon agricultural cropping pattern, that is an important way to realize agricultural energy saving and emission reduction of farm in the Northeast China Plain.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 448-453)
• Pages: 4508-4513
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.448-453.4508
• Online since: October 2013
• Authors: Lei Gang Shi, Ying Yu, He Ju Huai, Jing Ping Zhou, Hai Tang Hu, Cun Jun Li*
• Keywords: Carbon Footprint, Farm, Production Teams, Spring Maize

References

[1] Hillier J, Hawes C, Squire G, et al. The carbon footprints of food crop production. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability. Vol. 7(2009), pp.107-118.

DOI: 10.3763/ijas.2009.0419

[2] Lal R. Carbon emission from farm operations. Environment International. Vol. 30(2004), pp.981-990.

DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2004.03.005

[3] Page G, Ridoutt B, Bellotti B. Carbon and water footprint tradeoffs in fresh tomato production. Journal of Cleaner Production. Vol. 32(2012), pp.219-226.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.03.036

[4] Peters G P. Carbon footprints and embodied carbon at multiple scales. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. Vol. 38(2010), pp.4856-4869.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cosust.2010.05.004

[5] Meisterling K, Samaras C, Schweizer V. Decisions to reduce greenhouse gases from agriculture and product transport: LCA case study of organic and conventional wheat. Journal of Cleaner production. Vol. 17(2009), pp.222-230.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.04.009

[6] Gan Y, Liang C, Wang X, et al. Lowering carbon footprint of durum wheat by diversifying cropping systems. Field Crops Research. Vol. 122(2011), pp.199-206.

DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2011.03.020

[7] Bonesmo H, Skjelvåg A O, Henry Janzen H, et al. Greenhouse gas emission intensities and economic efficiency in crop production: A systems analysis of 95 farms. Agricultural Systems. Vol. 110(2012), pp.142-151.

DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2012.04.001

[8] Kun C, Genxing P, Pete S, et al. Carbon footprint of China's crop production—An estimation using agro-statistics data over 1993–2007. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. Vol. 142(2011), pp.231-237.

DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.05.012

[9] Dong G, Mao X, Zhou J, et al. Carbon footprint accounting and dynamics and the driving forces of agricultural production in Zhejiang Province, China. Ecological Economics. Vol. 91(2013), pp.38-47.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2013.04.003

[10] Shi LG, Chen F, Kong F L, et al. The Carbon Footprint of Winter Wheat-Summer Maize Cropping Pattern on North China Plain. Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment. Vol. 21(2011), pp.93-98. ( in Chinese with English abstract).

[11] West T O, Marland G. Net carbon flux from agricultural ecosystems: methodology for full carbon cycle analyses. Environmental Pollution. Vol. 116(2002), pp.439-444.

DOI: 10.1016/s0269-7491(01)00221-4

[12] Sayer J, Cassman K G. Agricultural innovation to protect the environment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Vol. 110(2013), pp.8345-8348.

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1208054110

[13] Carberry P S, Liang W, Twomlow S, et al. Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Online(doi: 10. 1073/pnas. 1208050110/-/DCSupplemental. ).

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1208050110

[14] Mondelaers K, Aertsens J, van Huylenbroeck G. A meta-analysis of the differences in environmental impacts between organic and conventional farming. British Food Journal. Vol. 111(2009), pp.1098-1119.

DOI: 10.1108/00070700910992925

[15] Shi L G, Fan S C, Kong F L, et al. Preliminary study on the carbon efficiency of main crops production in North China Plain, Acta Agron Sin. vol. 37(2011), pp.1485-1490. ( in Chinese with English abstract).

DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1006.2011.01485