Energy Efficiency Evaluation and Economical Analysis of Onion(Allium Cepa L.) Production in Khorasan Razavi Province of Iran

Current conventional agricultural systems using intensive energy have to be revitalized through new integrated approaches relying on renewable energy resources, which can allow farmers to stop dependence on fossil resources. The aim of this study was determining the amount of input–output energy used in onion (Allium cepa L.) production in Khorasan Razavi province. For this purpose, the data was collected from 55 onion farm workers in Khorasan Razavi. Inquiries were conducted in face-to-face interviews in April-May 2011. Farm workers were selected based on random sampling method. The results indicated that total energy input was 98479 MJ.ha-1. The share of electricity and nitrogen fertilizer was 50.9 and 14.7%, respectively out of total energy input. The average onion yield under normal conditions was 73227 kg.ha-1 on irrigated farms. The net energy and energy productivity values were estimated to be 18684 MJ.ha-1 and 0.74 kg.MJ-1, respectively, and the ratio of energy output to energy input was found to be 1.19. This indicated an intensive use of input in onion production, which is not parallel to the increase in the final yield. Approximately 77.3% of the total energy input used in onion production was non-renewable (machinery, diesel, fertilizers, chemicals and electricity) and only 22.7% was renewable energy form (human labor, manure, water for irrigation, seeds). Cost analysis revealed that total cost of onion production for one hectare was 79262908 Rials. Benefit–cost ratio was calculated as 1.65. Although energy efficiency of onion production in Khorasan Razavi province is low, it is economically justified

Ecological Intensification by Increasing Radiation Use Efficiency in a Low Input Agro-Ecosystem of Fenugreek

In ecological or sustainable intensification, increasing the agricultural productivity and enhancing ecosystem services is possible through improving resource and input-use efficiency. In order to estimate the radiation use efficiency and radiation interception of Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) under different treatments of animal manure, a completely randomized block design with three replications and four treatments was conducted on the research farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Treatments at four levels including 15, 20, 25 and 30 tons of animal manure per hectare were designed. The results showed that the growing season of Fenugreek was coincident with absorbed radiation by canopy, so the time to reach the maximum leaf area index was in accordance with the time to reach the maximum incident radiation by canopy of Fenugreek. The lowest leaf area index (0.22) and radiation use efficiency (1.42 g Mj-1) was obtained with the application of 15 ton ha-1 animal manure and highest leaf area index (0.30). And radiation use efficiency (1.74 g Mj-1) was obtained with the application of 25 ton ha-1 animal manure. The results also indicated that increasing the animal manure enhanced leaf area index and consequently radiation use efficiency, but this advantage was seen only up to a certain level of animal manure application (25 ton ha-1). Thus, sustainable intensification is attainable in a low input agro-ecosystem by improving radiation use efficiency as an appropriate indicator and without any application of additive manure

Effect of Plant Density on Growth Characteristics and Yield of Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis L.) and Persian Clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.) Intercropping

Abstract \ud In order to evaluate intercropping of summer savory (Satureja hortensis L.) and Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.), an experiment was conducted in the Agricultural Research Station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2004 growing season. Treatments were sole cropping of Persian clover (eight rows), double-row intercropping of Persian clover and summer savory with 27, 40 and 80 plants.m-2 (eight rows) and sole cropping of summer savory with 27, 40 and 80 plants m-2 (eight rows). For this purpose a complete randomized block design with 4 replications was used. Shoot and stem percentage of summer savory in sole crop treatments were significantly higher than in intercrop. In sole crop treatments, these parameters decreased by increasing plant density, in contrast to the intercrop. Leaf percentage and leaf and flower to stem ratio of summer savory in sole crop treatments were significantly lower than in intercrop. In sole crop treatments, these parameters were increased by increasing plant density, in contrast to intercrop. Effect of different treatments on essential oil percentage of summer savory was not significant. In sole cropping of Persian clover treatment, dry weight of vegetative organs and stem percentage of Persian clover in the first harvest, was lower than other treatments. By decreasing plant density these parameters were decreased in intercropping. In the second and third harvests a reversed pattern was observed. The highest Area Time Equivalent Ratio was obtained in intercropping of persian clover and summer savory with 27 plants.m-2. \ud \ud Keywords: Intercropping, Plant density, Satureja hortensis, Trifolium resupinatum, Essential oil percentage, Area Time Equivalent Rati

Agrobiodiversity of Vegetable Crops in Agroecosystems in Iran

Preservation and increase of biodiversity is one of the main components to achieve sustainability in agricultural systems. In this study, biodiversity evaluation indexes were used to evaluate and compare agrobiodiversity of vegetable crop systems among all provinces of Iran. In this study the biodiversity evaluation indexes included Shannon-Wiener, Simpson and Evenness. In order to compare the alpha and beta biodiversity in different regions of Iran, the country was divided to 5 different weather and geographic regions, then alpha and beta biodiversity were calculated by species – area relationship according to these areas. The results showed nearly 31 vegetable species are cultivated in Iran that the highest planted area after that tomato, potato and onion was related to aubergine with 6.07% of the total vegetable lands of Iran. The whole of vegetable lands area was 495412 ha that the Fars province with 8.83% of the total vegetable lands of the country, was the first and it was the major producer of 9 species of vegetables. The highest vegetable species richness was related to Esfahan and Mazandaran (29 species) and the lowest was for Chaharmahal bakhtiari (5 species). The Shannon index for these species in total vegetable lands (H) was 0.628 besides this index in highest level has been discovered in Yazd (2.70) and the Shannon index for these species of the total arable lands of the country ( ) was 0.210 besides this index in highest level had been discovered in Hormozgan (1.01). The highest (0.459) and lowest (0) of alpha biodiversity was calculated in north and south regions, respectively. In the other hand, the highest (1.41) and lowest (0.375) beta biodiversity was related to south and north regions, respectively