Abstract
The global warming potential (GWP) of organic strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) grown under high tunnels in Kentucky, USA, was assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The site, part of the Berea College Farm, had been under organic crop management for two decades. The GWP was calculated as 0.57 kg CO2-eq per kg of strawberries with the combined impact of the aluminum and plastic manufacturing accounting for 44% of the total and the direct production activities, including labor, accounting for another 28%. The average yields of 18,990 kg/ha of fresh fruit over the two years (2020–2021) were comparable to those typically reported in the southeastern USA for conventional production, but opportunities to increase strawberry yields in high tunnels without increasing inputs should be explored to reduce the GWP. Future research should also measure the GWP of production in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) systems, particularly plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs), to compare the greenhouse gas emissions of strawberries grown with these technologies to those produced using the simple, high-tunnel method.
Highlights
Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) are among the most popular fresh fruits in the United States (USA), ranking behind only a few others, such as apples and bananas, in annual per capita consumption
This study evaluated the global warming potential (GWP) of organic strawberry production under unheated high tunnels using life cycle assessment (LCA)
Data were collected from two years of certified organic strawberry production in Kentucky, USA
Summary
Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) are among the most popular fresh fruits in the United States (USA), ranking behind only a few others, such as apples and bananas, in annual per capita consumption. Most commercial production is concentrated in California, with Florida a distant second These two states, along with North Carolina and Oregon, account for about 99% of all domestic production [2], and imports from Mexico supply most of the remaining consumer market demand. Despite this imbalanced production situation, opportunities exist for small-scale producers throughout the USA to grow and sell strawberries as demand for local and organic products continues to rise [3]. While perennial matted row culture was the norm two decades ago, the farm shifted to certified organic, annual hill production with cover-cropped furrows/paths about a decade ago (Figure 1a). Harvested amounts and quality were highly dependent upon weather conditions
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