Emergy analysis of grain production systems on large-scale farms in the North China Plain based on LCA.

Highlights: [•] A large-scale farm’s wheat-maize system is studied with emergy method based on LCA. [•] Emergy efficiency and sustainability of wheat of the wheat-maize system is lower. [•] Emergy efficiency and sustainability of the system is lower than household farms. [•] It’s due to the irrigation, fertilizer, labor input in wheat pre-sowing and growth. [•] The system can be improved by suitable water, nutrient, and agronomic managements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]