Carbon Footprint and Life-cycle Cost of Maize (zea mays l.) Production at Conventional and Regenerative Agricultural Practices.

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the carbon footprint and life-cycle costs of grain maize production between conventional and regenerative agriculture practices. The material for the analyses was data from 2022–23 collected on Al-Rehman Dairy farms located in the Dunyapur region and growing maize for grain in two ways: conventional, and Regenerative (No-Till). The life-cycle assessment and life-cycle costing methodologies were applied to assess the GHG emissions and costs associated with the grain maize production in the stages from “cradle-to-farm gate”, i.e., from obtaining raw materials and producing means for agricultural production, through the processes of maize cultivation to grain harvesting. The SOC concentrations under NTS in the 0–15 cm soil layer and under NT in the 15–30 cm layer were significantly greater compared with those under CT. In the 15–30 cm soil layer, the SOC concentration under NT was higher than under CT. The difference in SOC content for the different soil depths between CT and NT was similar to the trend observed in the SOC concentration. NT produced a significantly higher SOC content in the 15–30 cm soil layer than the CT system and compared with CT in the 15–30 cm soil layer. The largest source of GHG emissions was the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Non-inversion tillage with rice straw mulch and leaving a large amount of crop residues in the field increased the sequestration of organic carbon and contributed to a significant reduction of the carbon footprint in maize production. The conventional tillage system demonstrated the highest overall life-cycle costs per hectare.