Comparison of energy inputs and energy efficiency for maize in a long-term tillage experiment under Pannonian climate conditions

Gerhard Moitzi, Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner, Hans-Peter Kaul and Helmut Wagentristl
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Gerhard Moitzi: Experimental Farm Groß-Enzersdorf, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Groß-Enzersdorf, Austria
Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner: Institute of Agronomy, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Tulln an der Donau, Austria
Hans-Peter Kaul: Institute of Agronomy, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Tulln an der Donau, Austria
Helmut Wagentristl: Experimental Farm Groß-Enzersdorf, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Groß-Enzersdorf, Austria

Plant, Soil and Environment, 2021, vol. 67, issue 5, 299-306

Abstract: Sustainable crop production requires an efficient usage of fossil energy. This six-year study on a silt loam soil (chernozem) analysed the energy efficiency of four tillage systems (mouldboard plough 25-30 cm, deep conservation tillage 35 cm, shallow conservation tillage 8-10 cm, no-tillage). Fuel consumption, total energy input (made up of both direct and indirect input), grain of maize yield, energy output, net-energy output, energy intensity and energy use efficiency were considered. The input rates of fertiliser, herbicides and seeds were set constant; measured values of fuel consumption were used for all tillage operations. Total fuel consumption for maize (Zea mays L.) production was 81.6, 81.5, 69.5 and 53.2 L/ha for the four tillage systems. Between 60% and 64% of the total energy input (17.0-17.4 GJ/ha) was indirect energy (seeds, fertiliser, herbicides, machinery). The share of fertiliser energy of the total energy input was 36% on average across all tillage treatments. Grain drying was the second highest energy consumer with about 22%. Grain yield and energy output were mainly determined by the year. The tillage effect on yield and energy efficiency was smaller than the growing year effect. Over all six years, maize produced in the no-tillage system reached the highest energy efficiency.

Keywords: plant production; energy analysis; energy efficiency indicators; soil tillage operation; Pannonian basin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:67:y:2021:i:5:id:67-2021-pse

DOI: 10.17221/67/2021-PSE

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