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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).
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    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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