Evaluation and Determination of Energy Consumption for Potato Production in Various Levels of Cultivated Areas in Isfahan Province of Iran (Case study: western of Isfahan province)

International Agricultural Engineering Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 7 – 10 December, 2009

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Evaluation and Determination of Energy Consumption for Potato Production in Various Levels of Cultivated Areas in Isfahan Province of Iran

(Case study: western of Isfahan province) (IAEC Ref. No. 208)

Ghahderijani Mohammad1, Keyhani Alireza2, Tabatabaeefar Ahmad2, Omid Mahmood2 and Khaleghi.Hamedani.Hamid3

1PhD student and Faculty member of agricultural mechanization, science and research branch,

Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran (Email: [email protected]) 2Faculty member of biosystem engineering, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

3Bs student of agricultural machinery, Tehran University, Karaj, Iran

ABSTRACT

Agriculture sectors as the most momentous food producer sector is known not only energy consumer but also energy supplier. Energy utilization as a helpful key is considered to analysis and evaluation of sustainability of agriculture. In this research which was done in the western part of Isfahan, energy consumption of potato (Agria type) was determined in three various levels of cultivated areas (a) less than one hectare, one to five hectares (b) and more than five hectares (c). For this purpose, the data were collected randomly from 320 potato farmers by using face -to- face questionnaire method. The results of this research showed that the most part of the input energy which is consumed was related to fertilizer. N fertilizer which is consumed in 80% of these cases had the major role. After that, seeds, fuel consumption and irrigation have respectively the most important role in energy consumption. The least ratio of energy consumption was related to pesticides. The total energy equivalents of inputs were 51.46 GJ/ha, 45.71 GJ/ha and 43.83 GJ/ha respectively for fields classified as "a", "b" and "c" and also energy ratio were determined to be 1.3, 1.75 and 2.08. It seems that as the farm gets bigger and increase the use of technology (increase the level of mechanization and degree of mechanization) in farms, one can increase productivity and efficiency of economy and energy. Also in this research the effects of various type of planting, cultivating and harvesting, also type of tractors were evaluated on energy indexes. Further results indicated that in variable cultivation areas, 88.5% of the total energy was in non-renewable energy forms, and only 11.5% was in renewable forms. Therefore, using such useful pattern (bigger field) which can help us to use our farm and energy in a better way is vital. Keywords: Iran, Potato, Energy ratio, Energy productivity, Efficiency, Mechanization, Renewable, Nonrenewable.

1. INTRODUCTION Agriculture is an energy conversion process. In this process solar energy, the productions of fossil fuels and electricity are converted to food and yarn which are needed for human being. The more population growth, the more we should invest in the field of energy as an input of food provision and human needs. So we see that human had used animal power and then tried to control the power of water and wind instead of animal power. Researches reach the fact that by development of mechanization and using chemical material in Agriculture, efficiency (ratio) of


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energy will reduce gradually (Darlington, 1997). During the time, the efficiency of energy consumption is reducing in Agricultural systems and initial Agriculture has more sustainability and efficiency in comparison with intensive and modern Agriculture which is using now a day (Pimentel et al, 1999). Population growth causes a limitation in sources such as water and soil, so mechanization is vital to develop the production per unit area and we use so much energy to make Agriculture mechanized and spend a considerable amount of money to provide power needed for mechanization. Then basic analyze of energy and source of it are so important. In each Agricultural system the ratio of input to output energy is proportionate with efficiency of system. We cannot say that the more energy efficiency will cause the more performance, but it is related to profit and investment. A lower interest rate for a larger investment may give higher benefit than a higher interest rate and a lower investment! (Darlington, 1997). Singh et al (2004) showed in a research that using high output varieties, intensive planting systems, increase in using of fertilizers and pesticides and high level of mechanization cause increase in energy consumption in modern Agriculture. Ozkan et al (2004) notified that the input energy of 36 products which are harvesting in Turkey was increased from 17.4 GJ to 47.4 GJ per hector. But the output energy has increase less than input energy during this time which was increased from 38.8 GJ to 55.8 GJ per hector. Then during 25 years the efficiency of energy was reduced from 2.23 to 1.18 in Turkey. Ohlin (1998) explained that Agriculture in Sweden will have problem because of decrease in efficiency of energy. But in all sections of Agriculture the efficiency of solar energy is increased which cause increase in performance. Among source of supportive energies, fertilizers have the most important role in increasing the efficiency of solar energy. Kouchaki and Hoseini (2004) accounted the efficiency of energy needed for producing of several agricultural production in Khorasan. According to their calculations the efficiency of potato production energy in Mashhad and Neishabour was respectively 0.75 and 0.7. Arjmand, and Hasanzadeh (2004) accounted the energy consumption of potato production 3.3 in Eastern Azerbaijan. HajSeyed accounted the energy ratio 0.98 by a research which is done in 2006 in Firouzkuh, Ardebil, Hamadan and Khorasan. In this research several conventional and different kinds of potato production are probed in the West of Isfahan (Fereidan and Fereidunshahr). Finally the target of this research are following matters: - Determining the part of each input in total energy required for potato production. - Determining the energy consumption for producing each Kilogram potato in that area, and compare it with other areas (in and out of the country). - Investigation the factors such as: various levels of cultivation (the area of land), land ownership and type of agricultural system in efficiency of energy and also the effect of ownership and type of tractor on fuel energy consumption when we cultivate potato.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

There are dependant and independent variables. Dependant variable of this research is the efficiency of energy (energy ratio). (The ratio of output energy to input energy) .To obtain the required data, questionnaires are designed and they are evaluated by asking some farmers in two areas as a pre test. Independent variables of this research are: various levels of cultivated area, land ownership, tractor equipment ownership, and various agricultural systems. According to the statistics which are available in Jahad organization of Isfahan province and completion of initial


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questionnaire, finally three levels are considered for potato. Various levels of potato production are: a-less than one hector b- one to five hectors c- more than five hectors (table no.1)

Table 1 The number of questionnaire which is distributed among farmers

The land ownership was divided into two levels: 1-personal 2- rental. The machineries and equipments ownership was divided into three levels: 1- personal 2- cooperative 3- private services. The farmers of that region mostly in addition of agronomy do horticulture and animal husbandry. Agricultural system is divided into four groups: 1-cultivation 2-cultivation and husbandry 3-cultivation and horticulture 4-cultivation, husbandry and horticulture. Statistical society of this research included potato cultivators of Fereidan and Fereidunshahr. Potato cultivators of Fereidunshahr and Fereidan were respectively 1430 and 1750 in number (Unnamed 2006). Double stage Simple random sampling method is used in this research. In fact random sampling is the easiest method of sampling which is reliable to generalize to whole of the population regard to principles of sampling. The other reason which leads us to choose this method is that this method is accepted by Iran Statistical Center and Planning and Management Organization of the statistic section of the country. in this method of sampling, The possibility of choosing each of the stages is equal (Mansourfar1997). Accordingly, in the first stage from 5 zone of Fereidunshahr and 9 zone of Fereidun, 6 zone were chosen randomly. In the next stage, existent villages of each zone were indexed which were 96 in number. Then 25 villages were chosen randomly from these numbers of villages, and questionnaires were distributed there. Koukran formula was used to obtain the volume of the sample. Koukran have presented following formula, which is using to account the number of required sample in random sampling method (Mansourfar1997).

n=222

22

..

StNdSNt

+ d2=

nSt 22. (1)

In this formula: n: the volume of the sample N: the volume of population S2: variance d: accuracy of desirable probable , t≠2 30 persons of farmers of that region who cultivated potato in that farming season were chosen and pretested to obtain variance of the sample and accuracy of desirable probable The first dependant variable of the research, which was efficiency of the energy, considered as base of the research to obtain variance. The variance of mentioned variable was equal with 6.85. Then the

total Fereidan Fereidunshahr Cultivated area 110 60 50 Less than 1 hector110 70 40 1 to 5 hectors

100 70 30 More than 5 hectares

320 200 120 total


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accuracy of desirable probable was accounted and the result was 0.88 and to increase the accuracy of results it was adjusted to 0.55. Finally the desirable probable variance and the volume of population were put in Koukran formula and the volume of sample was obtained which was equal with 311 persons. To increase the accuracy that number was changed to 320 persons. The volume of sample distributed according to population of each villages in these two villages. It is important to say that in addition of giving questionnaire, face to face questioning and ground research methods were used to complete the data. To account how much fuel used per hector, fuel storage of the tractor was full before beginning of the operation (plowing, using disk, or…) and after doing the operation in a hector the storage made full again and used fuel was gagged by scaled dish. Equivalents and formula which were gotten from different sources were used to account the energy consumption in various operations or existed energy of inputs. In addition of using presented energy equivalents in table no.2, to account energy consumption of irrigation the following formula was used: (Ercolia, 1999):

qp

gHQDEεε

γ= ) 2(

DE: direct energy (J/ha) γ : the density of water (1000 kg/m3) g: Gravity acceleration (m2 /s) Q: Total water needed for crop in an farming season (m3/ha) H: dynamic head of the well (m) pε : pomp efficiency (related to vertical high of the lifter usually is equal with 0.7-0.9

qε :total conversion efficiency of energy and power( for electrical pump is usually considered 0.18-0.2)

Indirect energy like the other substructure installation component according to the life cycle of the system, consist of raw materials, manufacture and transmission of all the factors used in irrigation. As it is too hard to measure, usually 0.18 percent of direct energy is considered for under pressure systems and for surface irrigation with recycling of waste water 0.37 percent of direct energy is considered.

Table 2 Energy equivalent for input used in potato production sources Energy (MJ per unit) inputs

(13,10, 11) Fertilizers (kg)

78.1 nitrogen

4.17 Phosphor

7.13 potassium

(11) Fuel (liter)

8.47 gasoil

3.46 Gasoline

(11) 95 seed (kg)

(11, 14) poison (liter)

85 herbicides

115 fungicide

295 Insecticides

(11) 100-138 Machinery and equipment (kg)

(11,12) 96.1 – 27.0 Labor (hour)


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The parameters which were needed in this research were: the area of the land, tractors and equipments ownership and type of Agricultural system toward energy which were obtained from Factorial test in the form of Simple random sampling method. After talking face to face with farmers and completing the questionnaires, data were obtained and segregated to determine required parameters. The parameter of land ownership considered sustainable and the comparison between averages were done by Duncan test. To reach that target SPSS13 software was used and diagrams were drawn by Excel software.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Researchers showed that in potato production, fertilizer had the major part of energy consumption with the average of 51% of total consumption. (figure no.1) Also by increasing cultivated area it was shown that fertilizer consumption was decreased. Among all kinds of fertilizers, Nitrogen fertilizers had the most important role in increasing the energy consumption. Potash fertilizers were rarely used for potato production in the region that research was done. As mentioned before, chemical and animal fertilizers had more than half of the part of input energy in Fereidan and Fereidunshahr (25.6 GJ/ha). This ratio is reported 27% for potato production in Khorasan (Kouchaki and Hoseini 2004). It seems that because of lack of research in the field of energy consumption in Khorasan and probably lack of knowledge of farmers, there is a different between the result of this research and reported result of potato production in Khorasan.

Figure 1 Share of various inputs in energy consumption in under cultivation

Unfortunately, more than 400 Kilogram Urea and phosphate fertilizers are used in some potato farms in Fereidan and Fereidunshahr. While required Azote fertilizer for potato production in that region is at most 250 Kilogram per hector (Maghsoudi 2005). Potato needs phosphorus less in comparison with Nitrogen and Potassium. Seed had the highest energy consumption after fertilizer with 24% in average. As it is illustrated clearly in diagram no.1, used seed in the farm was reduced by increasing cultivated area. Seed is cultivated by hand in less than one hector areas (mostly in Fereidunshahr). Fuel, after seed, was the major energy consumer with 12% in average (diagram no.1). Fuel consumption has the minor part in less than one hector areas, as it is illustrated in diagram no.1, and the reason of that is using workers instead of machineries in most of operations (except tillage). All the operations of planting, cultivating and harvesting are done by hand. Water energy with the average of 8% of total energy has the major part of energy consumption after fuel energy, for potato production, in that region. Because of using the water of springs (canals) in less than one hector areas, we don’t need any special kind of energy except workers` energy. Irrigation is done in that region 8 to 10 times in average. The next part of


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energy consumption concerns to workers` energy with 2 % of total energy, but less than one hector areas need 2.2 GJ/ha as workers` energy which is too much. This number is twice of reported standard for potato production in Fereidunshahr (Ghahderjani 2007). The number of used workers in that region for cultivation and after cultivation operations can cause such a difference in energy consumption. According to the obtained data of this research, women were 38% of human energy needed for collection and harvesting the crop. The depreciation of equipments and tractors was 2% of total energy. Also it is determined that pesticide energy is the least part of energy consuming among other inputs. In this paper the efficiency (ratio) of energy consumption for potato production, was determined and the effect of various factors such as the area of the land, the land ownership, the equipments and machineries ownership and the type of Agricultural system are probed. 3.1 The Effect of Land Size and Agricultural System on Energy Ratio for Potato Production The ratio of accounted energy in various levels of potato production is illustrated in diagram no.2. As it is clearly shown, energy ratio is increased by increasing the cultivated area. Cultivated area has a significant effect on the energy ratio in the level of one percent, as it is shown in table no.3 which is related to variance analysis. More than five hectors areas had the most energy ratio with the average of 2.08 and less than one hector areas had the least energy ratio with the average of 1.3 all of mentioned data are illustrated in diagram no.2. Doing Agricultural operations mechanized and using various machinery of planting, cultivation, and harvesting and having a better management of data can cause those mentioned differences.

Table 3 The analysis of energy efficiency variance in three levels of area and four levels of

Agricultural system

F Mean

squares Total squaresDegree of freedom Source of variety**14.27 673.0 34.1 2 The size of the land

**55.4 113.0 339.0 3 Agricultural systemns 51.1 038.0 188.0 5 ∗ land size Agricultural

system916.0 023.0 47.2 109 repetition 025.0 96.4 200 error .970 320 Total

1Percent significant level * 5 Percent significant level** Non Significant: ns

Figure 2 Energy ratio in under cultivation


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Energy efficiency is accounted 3.3 for the evaluation of Potato production by Arjmand and Hasanzadeh in the Eastern Azerbaijan. The input energy is accounted 65 GJ/ha ; most of it is related to seed, machinery, and fuel. Yield energy is reported 215GJ (which is equal with more than 60 Ton of crop). Also Haj seyed accounted the energy ratio 0.98, in a research which is done in 2006 in Firuzkuh, Ardabil, Hamadan, and Khorasan (in that research the input energy was 18747183.2 kcal (kilocalorie) and yield energy was 18510789 kcal (kilocalorie). The type of Agricultural system, except other various levels which are probed, has a significant effect on energy efficiency in the level of one percent as it is clearly illustrated in table no.3. The least energy, as shown in diagram no.3, is related to farmers who do husbandry and livestock an addition of doing agronomy. One of the reason of low efficiency of that kind of Agricultural system is that the most of the farmers had small land and do agronomy, husbandry and horticulture in that small land. Then, in some cases they prefer to use fertilizer for agronomy which is needed for trees of garden or use the water of agronomy for their garden. The Agricultural system, which is just related to agronomy, was classified in a special group with the mean efficiency of 2.02. The interaction of different levels and Agricultural systems had not significant effect on energy efficiency.

Figure 3 Energy ratio in various Agricultural systems 3.2 The Effects of Tractor Ownership and Type of Tractor on Fuel Energy for Potato Cultivation (Fuel Consumption per Hector) From tillage to post harvesting operations (transportation) for potato production, fuel is consumed. As it has illustrated in table no.4, the effect of fuel energy is significant with tractor ownership and type of tractor in the level of one percent. Interaction of ownership and type of tractor had no significant effect on fuel energy. Table 4 The analysis of fuel energy variance (MJ per hector) in three levels of tractor ownership

and five levels of tractor model for potato production F Mean squares Total squares Degree of

freedom Source of variety**46.7 55.9030412 172.18060825 2 Tractor ownership**56.6 79.7970983 19.31883935 4 Type of tractorns 72.1 2092099 02.16736792 8 Type of tractor ∗ Tractor ownership

278.0 81.338559 72.36903019 109 Repetition 46.121479979 42.238100694 196 Error 04.11109850009 320 Total

1Percent significant level * 5 Percent significant level** Non Significant: ns


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On the other hand in diagram no.4 we see that, in potato production, cooperative ownership with the average of 5282.775 MJ/ha is using fuel more efficiently than two other ownerships personal ownership with the average of 5851.15 MJ/ha and private ownership with the average of 5992.522 MJ/ha. Also cooperative ownerships that form 17% of potato producers do not have the problems occurred for wheat producers in these recent years. (because of scattering due to kolza supplement cultivation).

Figure 4 Fuel energy consumption for different tractor ownership After cooperative ownership, personal ownerships and private services are in the same situation and do not have significant difference. The effect of different tractors on energy consumption is illustrated in table no.6 which is about comparison average. The fuel consumption of MF285, MF399 and JD2040 tractors are less than others. Also the most fuel consumption is for U650 and JD3140 tractors.

Table 6 Comparison of the mean fuel energy (MJ per hector) in five levels of the type of tractors

by using Duncan test (5 percent) subset c b a

abundance Type of tractor

782.5322 10 Messy Ferguson 399

949.5371 167 Messy Ferguson 285

451.5757

451.5757 15 John deere 2040

117.6362 117.6362

113 Universal 650 (Romany)

38.6490 15 John deere 3140

4. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The probe of obtained data from potato production shows that the major part of energy consumption is related to chemical energy with the average of 51 % (fertilizers specially Azote) and minor part is related to biologic energy with the average of 2% (workers).


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The effect of various levels of cultivation on energy efficiency (ratio) became significant in the level of one percent; in a way that by increasing cultivated areas for potato production, from less than one hector to more than five hectors, the average of energy efficiency is increased. The effect of Agricultural system on energy ratio becomes significant in the level of one percent. The effect of tractor ownership and type of tractor on fuel energy consumption became significant in the level of one percent. Input energy for potato production is accounted 51.46 GJ per hector for less than one hector areas and 43.83 GJ per hector for more than five hectors areas. At the end of this paper it is suggested that: Suitable amount of fertilizer (specially azote) for potato production have to be determined and also farmers of the region must be encouraged to use mineral (animal) fertilizers. And according to the results of the researches and tests using mineral (animal) fertilizers have to be promoted. Suitable amount of seed have to be considered for cultivation, evaluation and promotion new varieties of potato, considering the situation of the region, to obtain maximum efficiency especially in Fereidunshahr for potato production. To decrease fuel consumption in different operations especially tillage following methods could be useful: doing farming operation on time, daily services and on time maintenance, accurate management and prevention of unnecessary traffic, choosing proper tractor and equipment and etc.

5. REFERENCES

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4. Kouchaki, A., and Hoseini, M., 1994. Energy Performance in Agricultural Eco-systems.

Ferdowsi University of Mashhd Press. pp 65-72

5. Maghsoudi, H., 2005.Sustainability Investigation of potato cultivation in Fereidunshahr township, M.Sc Thesis, Agricultural Economic and Development Dept. University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.65-86

6. Mansourfar, K., 1997. Statistical Methods, University of Tehran Press. pp 120


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7. Darlington, D., 1997. What is efficient agriculture? Available at URL: http:// www.veganorganic .net/agri.htm

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Documents

Evaluation and Determination of Energy Consumption for Potato Production in Various Levels of Cultivated Areas in Isfahan Province of Iran (Case study: western of Isfahan province)