A decision support tool for modifications in crop cultivation method based on life cycle assessment: a case study on greenhouse gas emission reduction in Taiwanese sugarcane cultivation

Background, aim, and scope Nowadays, various crops are cultivated to supply emerging needs in sustainable fuels and materials. In addition to the development of crop processing technologies, cultivation processes in a cropping system could be modified to meet the emerging needs, along with the conve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international journal of life cycle assessment 2009-11, Vol.14 (7), p.639-655
Main Authors: Fukushima, Yasuhiro, Chen, Shih-Ping
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural ecosystems
Agricultural practices
Agrochemicals
Biofuels
Carbon dioxide
Case studies
Case Study • Non-Toxic Impact Categories Associated with Emissions to Air
Cellulose
Climate change
Crop production systems
Crops
Cultivars
Cultivation
Decision support systems
Diesel fuels
Earth and Environmental Science
Emissions
Emissions control
Environment
Environmental changes
Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Economics
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Environmental impact
Ethanol
Farm buildings
Fertilization
Fertilizer application
Food processing
Food processing industry
Food supply
Fossil fuels
Global warming
Greenhouse gases
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Irrigation
Life cycles
Nitrogen
Nitrous oxide
Plant growth
Sensitivity analysis
Soil
Sugarcane
Tillage
Water
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Summary:Background, aim, and scope Nowadays, various crops are cultivated to supply emerging needs in sustainable fuels and materials. In addition to the development of crop processing technologies, cultivation processes in a cropping system could be modified to meet the emerging needs, along with the conventional needs in food supply. This study provides a decision tool for modifications in cultivation of crops based on life cycle assessment. Sugarcane cultivation in Taiwan is chosen as a case study to present such a decision tool, because it is an important potential indigenous resource for energy (for example, bio-ethanol) and materials (for example, bio-plastics). First, this study presents the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of 1 ton of sugarcane in Taiwan, which makes it possible to understand how it is consistent to develop this bio-resource in terms of both objectives: i.e., resource security and reduction of global warming impact. Next, sensitivity of the parameters in cropping systems, such as amount of irrigation, fertilization and tillage are assessed from a viewpoint of GHG emissions, using the LCI model constructed in the first step. Finally, equivalent impact level (EIL) lines are presented for some important parameters in the cropping system to support considerations in modification of agricultural methods. Because the objective is to discuss parameters in cultivation processes, the scope of study is limited to cradle-to-gate of raw sugarcane transported to the cane processing plant. Materials and methods In addition to GHG emissions from cultivation processes, such as soil preparation, growing, harvesting and transportation, auxiliary processes such as agrochemicals production, power generation and fossil diesel fuel refining was accounted for. To quantify the nitrous oxide emission from the soil ecosystem, a denitrification-decomposition (DNDC) model was used with the localized data obtained in this study. EIL lines were developed aiming at supporting decisions about modifying agricultural methods that should be made considering consequential changes in environmental impacts. For example, if the envisioned improvement in yield as a result of modification of parameters such as irrigation, tillage and fertilization is likely to achieve a value above the EIL line, GHG emission per ton of sugarcane would be decreased. An iterative procedure is applied to draw nonlinear EIL lines using Intergovernmental Panel on
ISSN:0948-3349
1614-7502
DOI:10.1007/s11367-009-0100-x