Carbon Footprint Analysis for Mechanization of Maize Production Based on Life Cycle Assessment: A Case Study in Jilin Province, China

Haina Wang,Guangdong Tian,Xiaoyi Zhang,Yingsheng Yang

doi:10.3390/su71115772

Abstract

The theory on the carbon footprint of agriculture can systematically evaluate the carbon emissions caused by artificial factors from the agricultural production process, which is the theoretical basis for constructing low-carbon agriculture and has important guiding significance for realizing low-carbon agriculture. Based on farm production survey data from Jilin Province in 2014, this paper aims to obtain a clear understanding of the carbon footprint of maize production through the following method: (1) one ton of maize production was evaluated systematically by using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); (2) the carbon emissions of the whole system were estimated based on field measurement data, (3) using the emission factors we estimated Jilin’s carbon footprint for the period 2006–2013, and forecasted it for the period from 2014 to 2020 using the grey system model GM (1, 1).

Highlights

Maize is one of the most important agricultural crops since it is the highest-yielding grain crop in the world, ranking 11th in the global production of all foods
Dubey and Lal [14] highlight the impact of agricultural activities on the environment in terms of the amount of Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) produced, and take into account the total GHGs emissions in carbon equivalents through material added, and from mechanical operations performed in a single whole cycle of crop production [16]
The purpose of this paper is to (i) adjust the boundary system of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and improve suitability of emission factors for China’s conditions, in order to quantify the size and proportion of carbon inputs involved in the maize production in Jilin Province; (ii) assess the overall carbon footprint and trace its dynamics toward present day; and (iii) assist scientists in reducing carbon emissions in agronomic practices that they may be studying at the field level

Summary

Introduction

Maize is one of the most important agricultural crops since it is the highest-yielding grain crop in the world, ranking 11th in the global production of all foods. The maize cultivation of the Northeast has a large influence on the stability of food production in China. The ownership of farmland has become more concentrated under the control of a few individuals and companies, resulting in many large-scale farms that have emerged in the Northeast. To address this issue, large-scale farms have been encouraged to simultaneously adopt higher-yielding varieties and greater mechanization. There are several advantages for large-scale farms They have an increased total yield, an increased level of agricultural mechanization, and help to promote new agricultural technologies [3,4]. Agricultural mechanization may create new or greater environmental impacts because the steps in the process of agricultural production consume the most energy and cause severe environmental damage, though this remains unclear

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Conclusion