Abstract
Energy efficiency analysis provides a deeper understanding of non-renewable energy dependent cropping systems. In this study, we examined the crop yield and energy efficiency of facultative rainfed wheat (WW - winter wheat, WS - spring wheat) and mineral nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200kgNha-1) in two growing seasons 2019/20 and 2020/21 in Central Europe. WW out performed WS significantly overall (2019/20: +30.3 to +47.9%; 2020/21: +18.9 to +37.3%) in terms of energy efficiency indicators. The impact of N fertilization on energy efficiency was minimal, largely due to one dose application of mineral N fertilizer. The highest estimated net-energy output (NEO) was observed at 160.2kgNha-1, which may not sustainable for this pedo-climatic region due to potential N emissions risks. Zero N fertilization showed best performance in terms of energy use efficiency (EUE), energy intensity (EI), and energy productivity (EP). The ERG z-score, which combines NEO and EUE into a single bi-dimensional indicator, indicated an optimal N fertilization level of 72.0kgNha-1.
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