Energy Analysis for Global Berry Fruit Production

Abstract

Fruits have a significant impact on human health due to the mineral substances and vitamins that they contain. Among agricultural activities globally and within Türkiye, fruit cultivation is of great importance. In this study, the energy analyses of wolfberries, grapes, pomegranates, and strawberries grown in different countries were evaluated, and the energy efficiency parameters were compared for different countries to improve berry fruit production. The energy parameters in fruit growing include transportation, water, organic fertilizer, farmyard manure, diesel oil/oil, agricultural machinery, animal labor, human labor, electricity, organic chemicals, biocides, chemical fertilizers, seeds, biochemicals, and plastics. Water use, one of the energy analysis parameters, was found to be highest in strawberries grown in greenhouses, with 24,353.30 MJ/ha and the lowest was found in pomegranates, with 35.80 MJ/ha. The highest diesel/oil parameter usage, with an amount of 805,178.20 MJ/ha, was in strawberries grown in greenhouses. The lowest amount was determined in pomegranates, with 1224.90 MJ/ha. The energy input for agricultural machinery was calculated as 18,384.03 MJ/ha in strawberry production in open fields, and the lowest was calculated as 130.48 MJ/ha for the same fruit. In the energy analysis, the highest human labor parameter with an amount of 35,338.86 MJ/ha was found for strawberries produced in greenhouses. The lowest amount was found in grape production, with 205.68 MJ/ha.

Horticulture Irrigation Systems and Aquaculture Water Usage: A Perspective for the Use of Aquaponics to Generate a Sustainable Water Footprint

“…In agricultural food production, there is a variety of investigations about the water footprint of different plants exploited in intensive agricultural production systems including maize [188], wheat, rice [165], potatoes, cabbages, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cauliflowers, pumpkins, auberges, peppers, onion, beans, dates [189], wolfberries, grapes, pomegranates, and strawberries [190]. In addition to investigated plants, there has to be an extension and incorporation of new agricultural produced crops, plants and fruits according to the consumers preferences and new food trends.…”

Horticultural Irrigation Systems and Aquacultural Water Usage: A Perspective for the Use of Aquaponics to Generate a Sustainable Water Footprint

“…Therefore, every day, it is becoming more important to implement water footprints for specific crops and aquatic animals in food production [165], taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of the production system mentioned (Table 2). In agricultural food production, there is a variety of investigations about the water footprint of different plants exploited in intensive agricultural production systems, including maize [186], wheat, rice [164], potatoes, cabbages, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cauliflowers, pumpkins, aubergines, peppers, onion, beans, dates [187], wolfberries, grapes, pomegranates, and strawberries [188]. In addition to the investigated plants, there have to be an extension and incorporation of new agriculturally produced crops, plants, and fruits according to consumers' preferences and new food trends.…”