Abstract
Abstract There is a worldwide growing awareness of the negative impacts of the increasing fossil fuel reliance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, in particular for intensive crop systems. We analyze the energy balances and greenhouse gas emissions from export-oriented avocado orchards in Mexico. Avocado is a very important export crop and one of the main drivers of land-use change in the country. We compared 12 avocado orchards under organic and conventional management during two production cycles (2010 and 2011) in a representative region of Central Mexico. Our analysis shows no significant differences in energy consumption and GHG emissions between organic and conventional systems with 55 and 56 GJ ha−1, and 3.30 t CO2 equiv. ha−1 and 3.57 t CO2 equiv. ha−1, respectively. Organic systems show three times more use of renewable energy than their conventional counterparts. However both systems depend heavily on fossil fuel inputs, machinery and N-fertilizers (synthetic or organic). Also, there is a high heterogeneity in management practices and input application within both systems, which is reflected in a large variation of their energy-related parameters. Given that avocado production is rapidly expanding in Mexico, a move toward organic production without systematically changing toward less fossil fuel dependent agricultural practices would not be sufficient to ensure a sustainable production.
Full Text
Topics from this Paper
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Avocado Orchards
Heterogeneity In Management Practices
CO2 Equiv
Use Of Renewable Energy
+ Show 5 more
Create a personalized feed of these topics
Get StartedTalk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Similar Papers
Joule
Oct 1, 2020
Earth System Science Data
Nov 10, 2021
Sep 20, 2018
Agricultural Systems
May 1, 2018
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Feb 1, 2006
NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences
Dec 1, 2011
NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences
Mar 1, 2014
Journal of Dairy Science
Jan 1, 2019
One Earth
Apr 1, 2022
Livestock Science
Sep 1, 2011
Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy
Jan 28, 2021
Environmental Science & Technology
Mar 1, 2011
Journal of Cleaner Production
Sep 1, 2010
Frontiers in Environmental Science
Jul 20, 2021
Ecological Indicators
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023
Ecological Indicators
Dec 1, 2023