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Researchers and practitioners use life cycle assessment (LCA) as a powerful tool to thoroughly assess the environmental impact of protected agriculture. However, the literature in this field has shown heterogeneity, which is characterized by inconsistent methodologies and assumptions. Identifying prevailing trends and resolving existing limitations is necessary to generate robust results and guide future work. Here, we conduct a bibliometric and systematic review to explore how LCA applications have addressed protected agriculture. The bibliometric analysis unveils trends in scientific productivity, spanning temporal evolution and geographic distribution, while also identifying prominent research avenues. The systematic review traces the historical trajectory of agricultural LCA and scrutinizes methodological decisions across the standard LCA phases: (i) objective and scope, (ii) life cycle inventory, (iii) impact assessment, and (iv) interpretation. We summarize and discuss the reported environmentally friendly practices and provide a qualitative interpretation of the LCA findings. Moreover, we pinpoint key methodological challenges and propose research horizons. It is crucial to note that the environmental benefits of protected agriculture are context-dependent, with climate change emerging as a critical factor influencing crop yields and the system’s input and output resources. This impact is particularly pronounced in terms of water and energy consumption and carbon emissions. In regions with extreme climates, protected agriculture provides solutions for producers aiming to attain high yields of top-quality crops. The integration of circular bioeconomy strategies in this context allows mitigation of the environmental trade-offs identified by LCA.

Objetivo. contribuir a la zonificación del cultivo de lechuga y generar un diagnóstico actual de la fertilidad química de suelos. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un muestreo de fertilidad química de suelos en 31 predios y se identificaron las clases y unidad cartográfica de suelos (UCS) correspondientes según la capacidad de uso agrícola. Con esta información, se realizó, una zonificación mediante el análisis espacial usando tres capas: municipios productores, UCS asociadas al cultivo y áreas con disponibilidad de agua. Posteriormente, se analizó estadísticamente si las clases y unidades de suelo contribuían a explicar las diferencias en los niveles de fertilidad química. Finalmente, se realizó un análisis de componentes principales, para definir si existían factores contrastantes que facilitaran la identificación de problemas de fertilidad. Resultados. Se obtuvo un mapa de zonas aptas para el cultivo de lechuga. Se observaron concentraciones elevadas de nutrientes en el suelo y desbalances entre relaciones K/Mg y Ca/K que pueden afectar la disponibilidad de K. Se identificaron dos subclases de suelo asociadas al cultivo: IVhs y IIc; en la primera se presentó mayor conductividad eléctrica y menor concentración de potasio. Dos factores generaron condiciones contrastantes: la salinidad y el efecto de materia orgánica en la disponibilidad de algunos nutrientes. Conclusión. Existen 25 000 ha aptas para el cultivo de lechuga, que incluyen zonas con exceso de nutrientes y riesgo de salinización.

Colombia, one of the world’s leading coffee suppliers, is experiencing a decline in its production capacity due to climate change, resulting in fewer suitable areas for growing its mild coffee varieties. The traditional Coffea arabica cultivation regions in the Andes are surrounded by high biodiversity, which cannot and should not be replaced by other agricultural activities. This situation has led to the consideration of cultivating Coffea canephora var. Robusta in Colombia. Identifying areas with the highest productive potential under current and future climate scenarios is necessary. Our objective was to pinpoint regions with the greatest biophysical and socio-economic potential for Robusta coffee cultivation in Colombia. To achieve this, we utilized an integrated model that combines climate suitability assessment and crop yield projections under current and future climate scenarios while accounting for soil limitations, pest risks, and socio-economic conditions. Our results indicated that most potential areas are at elevations below 600 m, thus avoiding interference with traditional and established Arabica coffee regions in Colombia. Under current climate scenarios, potential areas are located in the foothills along the eastern Andean ranges, the high plains of the Orinoquía region, and the humid parts of the Caribbean region. Under a global warming scenario with a 2 °C temperature increase, significant negative impacts on productive potential are projected for the Caribbean region. Consequently, the foothills of the eastern Andes and the high plains of the Orinoquía region emerge as the most promising areas for cultivating Coffea canephora var. Robusta.