Sustainability Evaluation of Maize Silage Cultivation According to Levels of Nitrogen Fertilization Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Abstract

This study aims at the sustainability assessment of maize silage cultivation according to levels of nitrogen fertilization. Based on data provided by a field experiment, economic, production and environmental criteria were evaluated for three levels of nitrogen fertilization: 80, 120 and 160 kg/ha. The environmental impact of maize cultivation was evaluated by the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. In a multi-criteria assessment, the weights of sub-criteria were evaluated on the basis of scientists, agricultural advisers and farmers’ responses through AHP methodology. Based on the mean opinion of the respondents, economic criteria have the greatest impact on overall sustainability evaluation (54%), while the impact of environmental criteria (30%) and production criteria (16%) is much smaller. Analysis of economic subcriteria proved to have the greatest impact of gross margin (61%) on sustainability assessment, followed by the economic efficiency index (31%), while the smallest impact (8%) was obtained for the economic independence index. Among the analysed production subcriteria, the level of production and complexity of agrotechnical operations (44% each) had the greatest impact on sustainability assessment, and the least – labour use (12%). The obtained results showed the best economic evaluation for 120 kg N/ha, while from a production and an environmental point of view the best alternative is the application of 80 kg N/ha. The overall evaluation, with estimated criteria weights, shows the best sustainability performance for an 80 kg/ha fertilization dose.