Evaluation of global warming potential of saffron agroecosystems (case study: Khorasan, Iran)

Today the increased use of agricultural inputs in conventional agroecosystems has resulted in an increase in the global warming potential (GWP). The current policy within agriculture seeks to develop agroecosystems that minimize GWP for a high level of output.
In order to evaluate the GWP and greenhouse gas emissions of saffron production systems in Khorasan province, Iran, used inputs such as chemical and organic fertilizers during seven years of saffron agroecosystems in 2016 were determined.
Emission of greenhouse gases including CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ based on emission coefficients was calculated.
The results showed that the highest GWP for CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ was recorded for nitrogen with 2.53 t CO₂ and the lowest was for manure with 0.02 t CO₂ equiv. t^-1 flower yield.
It is therefore concluded that reduction of chemical fertilizers and more application of organic inputs such as cow manure seems to be a rational ecological approach for sustainable management of saffron ecosystems with a consequence of reduction in GWP and mitigation of climate change.

V International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Technology: Advances in Biology, Technologies, Uses and Market

S. Khorramdel, A. Mollafilabi, M. Hosseini

chemical fertilizer, climate change, conventional agroecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, manure

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1184.36