Low input wheat management techniques are more efficient in ethanol production

Abstract

The aim of this survey is to design new crop management techniques for the production of a biofuel, wheat ethanol. As ethanol production fits into a very particular context (low price for farmers, aimed improvement of competitiveness and consideration of the environmental and energy balances) there is no reason to believe that food wheat crop management techniques are suitable for use in ethanol wheat. Two approaches were used to design the new techniques: A simulation approach, based on simple agronomic models, built by agronomists and suited to our study region, the chalky Champagne (France) and an on-farm experimental approach involving eight trials. The two approaches showed that low input management systems were the best suited to ethanol production: Improving the gross margin by 400 Fr/ha and reducing the cost per ton by 100 Fr/t in comparison with the reference crop management techniques for food wheat. They did not improve the energy balance because of their lack of productivity but did limit nitrate and pesticide pollution risks.