Precision Farming
R. Raeisi; M. Gholami Par-Shokohi; H. Afshari; A. Mohammadi
Abstract
Bean planting systems are essential to global agriculture, serving as a vital food source for many populations. Optimizing these planting methods is crucial for enhancing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. This study evaluates the energy inputs and outputs associated with two pinto bean cultivation ...
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Bean planting systems are essential to global agriculture, serving as a vital food source for many populations. Optimizing these planting methods is crucial for enhancing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. This study evaluates the energy inputs and outputs associated with two pinto bean cultivation techniques: flat and strip systems. Conducted in Fars province, southern Iran, the research involved 90 farms, 60 employing flat systems and 30 utilizing strip systems. Energy consumption was assessed in MJ ha-1 for various inputs, including labor, machinery, diesel, chemical fertilizers, biocides, electricity, and seeds. The flat system exhibited energy consumption of 20,067.12 MJ ha-1, while the strip system utilized 18,171.76 MJ ha-1. In terms of yield, the flat system produced 3000 kg ha-1, in comparison to 3500 kg ha-1 from the strip system. Energy efficiency metrics indicated that the strip system outperformed the flat system with a higher energy use efficiency ratio (3.85 against 2.99) and better energy productivity (0.19 kg MJ-1 vs. 0.15 kg MJ-1). Additionally, the strip system demonstrated lower specific energy consumption at 5.19 MJ kg-1, compared to 6.69 MJ kg-1 for the flat system. The net energy gain was also greater for the strip system, recording 51,828.24 MJ ha-1 versus 39,932.88 MJ ha-1 for the flat system. Overall, the results highlight the favorable energy requirements and efficiency of the strip planting method over the traditional flat system, underscoring its potential for optimized resource allocation in pinto bean cultivation. The MOGA results indicated that strip systems achieve substantial energy savings of 3749.11 MJ ha-1 (25.99%), compared to flat systems, which save 3707.62 MJ ha-1 (22.66%). This further highlights the efficiency benefits of strip planting.
