Title:
Environmental Sustainability of Double and Relay Cropping of Food, Feed and Fuel Crops in the Northern Great Plains, USA
Author(s):
Berti, M., Aponte, A., Johnson, B., Ripplinger, D.
Document(s):
Paper
Abstract:
Recent findings indicate that that double-or relay-cropping of winter camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz.) with biomass or food crops is an alternative to increase yield per area while providing several ecosystem services. The objective was to determine the environmental impact of double and relay-cropping systems in comparison with the most common crop monocultures in the Midwest, maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Ten crop sequences composed of double-and relay-cropping of biomass sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.], soybean, and maize, following winter camelina were evaluated and compared with monocultures of same crops. The life cycle analysis (LCA) was conducted from ‘cradle-to-gate’, including only the agricultural phase. Global warming potential (GWP), estimated by three different methods, indicated that winter camelina had a GWP of 579 to 922 kg CO2e ha-1. Adding a second crop after winter camelina, in relay or double cropping, increased GWP on 235 to 540 kg CO2e ha-1. Maize in monoculture had higher GWP than all other cropping systems studied. Camelina had the lowest values in all environmental impact categories, indicating camelina agricultural production phase has low impact in the environment. Double-and relay-cropping systems increased biodiversity and decreased soil erosion potential. More research indicating the benefits of double and relay systems to the environment are needed to get more farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices.
Keywords:
life cycle assessment (LCA), environmental impact, sorghum, camelina, global warming potential, double and relay cropping
Topic:
Biomass Resources
Subtopic:
Biomass crops and energy grasses
Event:
24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Session:
1CO.1.5
Pages:
138 - 142
ISBN:
978-88-89407-165
Paper DOI:
10.5071/24thEUBCE2016-1CO.1.5
Price:
FREE
