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Converting maize production with low emergy cost and high economic return for sustainable development

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Xingya
  • Tan, Weiming
  • Zhou, Shunli
  • Xu, Yang
  • Cui, Tao
  • Gao, Hong
  • Chen, Mingli
  • Dong, Xuehui
  • Sun, Hongyong
  • Yang, Jinzhong
  • Wu, Yongcheng
  • Kong, Fanlei
  • Zhan, Ming
  • Pan, Jinbao
  • Wang, Ye
  • Wang, Xinglong
  • Luo, Ning
  • Huang, Shoubing
  • Mi, Guohua
  • Zhang, Dongxing
  • Yuan, Jichao
  • Chen, Xinping
  • Meng, Qingfeng
  • Wang, Pu

Abstract

Promoting more sustainable agriculture while simultaneously meeting the increased demands for food due to the growing population is a great challenge in the 21st century. Here we addressed this challenge by conducting on-farm field experiments at 40 sites across the broad aro-ecological maize region in China during 2017–2018. According to a modern understanding with emergy and economic aspects, a set of new variety-based low emergy system was developed. Compared with the current traditional farmers’ system, the new system improved the sustainability (emergy sustainability index) by 19% and increased economic return by 47% while similar productivity (maize yield) was achieved. More than 80% of the modeled yield potential was realized. Moreover, the decrease of nonrenewable materials input in the new system contributed to 88% of the sustainability improvement. As food and resource concerns become more severe in many global regions, this new system is likely to supply a typical case and could be adopted widely to realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in agricultural transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Xingya & Tan, Weiming & Zhou, Shunli & Xu, Yang & Cui, Tao & Gao, Hong & Chen, Mingli & Dong, Xuehui & Sun, Hongyong & Yang, Jinzhong & Wu, Yongcheng & Kong, Fanlei & Zhan, Ming & Pan, Jinbao & , 2021. "Converting maize production with low emergy cost and high economic return for sustainable development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:136:y:2021:i:c:s1364032120307309
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.110443
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Pan Li & Wen Yin & Guiping Chen & Yao Guo & Zhilong Fan & Falong Hu & Fuxue Feng & Hong Fan & Wei He, 2023. "Sustainable Analysis of Maize Production under Previous Wheat Straw Returning in Arid Irrigated Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, June.
    3. Tan, Kangming & Li, Yuliang & Chen, Yun & Liu, Fangdan & Ou, Jingmin & Zhang, Yuhan & Wang, Xiaolong, 2022. "Modified framework to reflect contribution of soil storage in emergy synthesis under different agricultural practices at farm level," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 465(C).
    4. Wang, Jintao & Dong, Xinliang & Qiu, Rangjian & Lou, Boyuan & Tian, Liu & Chen, Pei & Zhang, Xuejia & Liu, Xiaojing & Sun, Hongyong, 2023. "Optimization of sowing date and irrigation schedule of maize in different cropping systems by APSIM for realizing grain mechanical harvesting in the North China Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    5. Lyu, Yanfeng & Yang, Xiangdong & Ma, Xiaohan & Pan, Hengyu & Zhang, Xiaohong, 2023. "Promoting coordinated development of the fertilizer production-crop plantation combined system through an integrated approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 478(C).

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