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Food production is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, both in primary production and in processing and the logistics chain. The most problematic and risky is the optimization of environmental effects in the stage of primary production. This is due to the significant influence of factors related to climate and soil that are difficult to predict. The scientific literature offers much information on the impact of crop residue management, but the context for assessing the impact of crop residue management in corn production on the carbon footprint is still unclear. The effectiveness of using organic additives like biochar, compost, corn, or straw to maintain soil productivity is well acknowledged. Information about the effects of particular crop residue management strategies on soil carbon sequestration, soil quality, and crop yield in corn cultivation is currently scarce. The research aimed to assess the potential for optimizing corn production through modifications in crop residue management, with a focus on the efficiency indicator being the level of greenhouse gas emissions per functional unit of the product. A 3-year growing experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of different corn crop residue management strategies. The modifications of the corn cultivation technology in terms of the crop residue management strategy had a significant impact on the yield of plants and the amount of GHG emissions. The conversion of corn straw to biochar and its introduction into the soil reduced the GHG emissions from corn cultivation per functional unit, despite the energy expenditure related to straw transport and biochar production. From a 3-year time perspective, a beneficial effect of biochar addition on the size of the commercial yield of plants was observed. In variants with biochar and a reduced level of nitrogen fertilization, no reduction in yields was observed. This confirmed the hypothesis that biochar could be a useful material for the production of slow-acting fertilizers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The problem of the use and disposal of horticultural substrates is an important element of the optimization of plastic greenhouse production in terms of economic and environmental efficiency. The production of mineral substrates is associated with a high energy expenditure, which generates costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. An important factor is also the transport of professional substrates over long distances. The research objective was to evaluate the possibility of using sheep wool to create horticultural substrates in the hydroponic production of cucumber. The modifier of production technology was the use of substrates of various origins. The experiment was based on the use of two substrates: one was a conventional substrate, made of mineral wool, and the other was made of greasy Gissar sheep wool, which is considered waste or a nuisance byproduct of sheep farming today. The adopted functional unit was 1 ton of commercial cucumber yield. The boundaries of the system were soil formation, fertilization, irrigation, and harvesting. The amount of GHG emissions was calculated in accordance with the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. The results of the experiment show that the use of sheep wool as a substrate in the hydroponic cultivation of cucumbers reduced yield by approximately 8%, but it allowed for a higher efficiency of water and mineral fertilizer use per crop mass unit. Within the adopted system boundary, the value of the carbon footprint in the object with the conventional substrate was 276.9 kg CO2 eq · Mg−1. The value of this parameter for the object with the sheep wool was 193.9 kg CO2 eq · Mg−1. The use of sheep wool did not increase the phytosanitary risk of the cultivated plants. An important goal for achieving sustainability, especially in food production, is to use materials that are easily recyclable and renewable, locally available, and environmentally friendly. The use of sheep wool as a substrate for soilless plastic greenhouse cultivation is a rational solution, as this material consists of 60% animal protein fibers, 10% fat, 15% moisture, 10% sheep sweat, and an average of 5% impurities. This makes it an easily recyclable, easily renewable, and environmentally friendly source of raw material for hydroponic substrates in food production, contrary to rockwool, which produces waste that is difficult to manage and a nuisance to the natural environment. In the countries of Central Asia, the sheep population is over 20 million; therefore, the potential for using sheep wool material for agricultural production is significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a country with not only significant production potential but also fragmented land ownership, the Kyrgyz Republic struggles with environmental efficiency, which is a strategic element of environmental management in agricultural production. The objective of this study was to assess the environmental efficiency of sheep's wool when used as a fertilizer in bean production in northern Kyrgyzstan. In this study, the efficiency indicator was taken to be GHG emissions per functional unit of product, using a proprietary methodology for calculating GHG emissions to determine the true value of this material as a source of soil nutrients and organic matter. Two experimental factors were used in the experiment: fertilizer type and fertilizer rate. Fertilization with sheep wool resulted in a 15% higher bean yield compared to when fertilized with mineral fertilizers at a comparable rate, converted to pure nitrogen. By using sheep wool as a source of mineral nutrients for the plants, the carbon footprint was reduced by almost 10% compared to a facility with mineral fertilization. Therefore, the use of sheep wool as a source of plant nutrients is environmentally justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization of plant fertilization is an important element of all quality systems in primary production, such as Integrated Production, GLOBAL G.A.P. (Good Agriculture Practice) or SAI (Sustainable Agriculture Initiative). Fertilization is the most important element of agricultural treatments, affecting the quantity and quality of crops. The aim of the study was to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the cultivation of Chinese cabbage, depending on the technological variant. The factor modifying the production technology was the use of fertilizers with a slow release of nutrients. One tonne of marketable Chinese cabbage crop was selected as the functional unit. To achieve the research goal, a strict field experiment was carried out. Calculation of the total amount of GHG emitted from the crop was made in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. The system boundaries included the production and use of fertilizers and pesticides, energy consumption for agricultural practices and the emission of gases from soil resources and harvesting residue. The use of slow-release fertilizers resulted in a greater marketable yield of cabbage compared to conventional fertilizers. The results of the research indicate a significant potential for the use of slow-release fertilizers in reducing agricultural emissions. From the environmental and production point of view, the most favourable variant is the one with 108 kg N·ha−1 slow-release fertilizers. At a higher dose of this element, no increase in crop yield was observed. At this nitrogen dose, a 30% reduction in total GHG emissions and a 50% reduction in fertilizer emissions from the use of per product functional unit were observed. The reference object was fertilization in accordance with production practice in the test area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]