ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Comparative analysis of environmental impacts of wheat and potato production in conventional and organic systems
1
Department of Organic Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Institute of Plant Protection − National Research Institute, Poznań, Poland
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
Submission date: 2024-05-20
Acceptance date: 2024-11-25
Online publication date: 2025-02-14
Corresponding author
Malgorzata Holka
Department of Organic Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Institute of Plant Protection − National Research Institute, Poznań, Poland
Department of Organic Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Institute of Plant Protection − National Research Institute, Poznań, Poland
HIGHLIGHTS
- The environmental impacts of conventional and organic crop production were analysed.
- Upstream processes have a relatively high contribution to the impacts.
- In conventional cultivation, mineral fertilisation was identified as a hotspot.
- The main hotspots of organic crop production are soil preparation and sowing.
- Acidification and fossil fuel depletion are key environmental issues in both systems.
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Agricultural production has a direct impact on the environment, both by consuming natural
resources and by generating hazards in the form of emissions of various substances
into the environment. Increased demand for plant products on global food markets contributes
to heightened environmental pressure on agriculture. Agriculture, along with other
sectors, should adhere to sustainability principles. Ongoing global development hinges on
achieving a balance between economic growth and natural resource conservation. To fulfill
the goals of sustainable development, agriculture should strive to minimize energy and
natural resources consumption, thereby reducing its environmental impact. In the above
context, research on the environmental effects of different agricultural production systems
is needed. The aim of this study was to assess the environmental effects of two cultivation
systems, conventional and organic, throughout the life cycles of winter wheat and potato
production. The research employed a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology from cradle
to farm gate for assessing environmental impacts of crop cultivation across different farming
systems, with respect to the functional unit of 1 tonne. Organic farming was shown
to have lower environmental impacts than a conventional production system. The results
confirm the sustainable nature of organic farming and its ability to mitigate the effects
of farming activities. The LCA of conventional wheat and potato production showed that
fertilizer application was the main environmental concern, highlighting the need to optimize
fertilization to reduce environmental impacts. Furthermore, the results indicated that
acidification and depletion of abiotic fossil fuel resources were significant environmental
threats within the systems analyzed.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Mr. Rafał Nowaczyk,
Institute of Plant Protection − National Research Institute
for his valuable support in collecting field data.
RESPONSIBLE EDITOR
Piotr Szulc
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors have declared that no conflict of interests exist.
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| ISSN: | 1427-4345 |
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