Does Selection of Variety Affect the Exergy Flow of Agricultural Production? Rice Production System in Italy

Exergy analysis is receiving considerable attention as an approach to be applied for making decision toward moving to a sustainable and energy-efficient food supply chain. This study focuses on how selection of variety affects the exergy flow of a crop production system (rice production). In this regard, 9 varieties of rice were investigated in Italy, the largest rice producer in Europe. Sensitivity analysis of inputs consumption and the exergy management scenarios of the most sensitive inputs are also provided in this study. The results indicated that the cumulative exergy consumption value of the investigated rice varieties ranges from 11,682 MJha-1 to 15,541 MJha-1. Chemical fertilizers and diesel fuel consumption were the biggest contributors to the total energy consumption in all investigated varieties. Luna variety, with the cumulative degree of perfection value of 3.87 and renewability indicator of 0.74, was identified as the most exergy efficient variety of rice in Italy