Open AccessEnergy efficiency in maize crops in different regions of Brazil
Author(s) -
Roni Fernandes Guareschi,
Elderson Pereira da Silva,
Segundo Urquiaga,
B. J. R. Alves,
Robert M. Boddey,
Leonardo Fernandes Sarkis,
Cláudia Pozzi Jantalia
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
semina. ciências agrárias
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.268
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1679-0359
pISSN - 1676-546X
DOI - 10.5433/1679-0359.2021v42n4p2271
Subject(s) - environmental science , cropping , renewable energy , context (archaeology) , agricultural engineering , production (economics) , agriculture , efficient energy use , crop , sustainability , agronomy , energy crop , agricultural science , agroforestry , bioenergy , geography , economics , engineering , biology , ecology , archaeology , electrical engineering , macroeconomics
Assessment of energy efficiency (EE) enables the evaluation of the sustainability of agrosystems, as well as decision-making regarding reduction in production costs and environmental pollution and even to increase production in a sustainable way. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess energy efficiency in maize in different regions of Brazil. For this purpose, 32 areas of maize crop distributed across the major producing states and regions were assessed. Energy inputs and outputs of agricultural operations and/or agricultural inputs were calculated by multiplying the amount used by their calorific value or energy coefficient at each stage of production. Energy efficiency was calculated as the ratio between the total output energy and the total input energy during the production process. For every megajoule (MJ) of energy consumed in the production of second-crop maize and first-crop maize seasons, 9.9 and 8.7 MJ respectively of renewable energy were produced in the form of grain. In both maize cropping seasons, most of the energy use was attributed to fertilizers, herbicides and fuel. To be representative the evaluation of energy efficiency of the maize crop should be performed in different Brazilian cultivation regions, as it will represent different edaphoclimatic and management conditions spread over the national territory within an agricultural year.