The objective of this study is to analyze the energy use efficiency and carbon footprint of irrigated wheat systems in different Iranian provinces. The authors resort to the k-means clustering technique to fulfil the said objective. The empirical results reveal that the average total input energy (59.5 GJ ha−1) is higher than the average energy output (45.82 GJ ha−1) from wheat production, resulting in an average energy efficiency of 0.77, thus rendering the production of irrigated wheat in Iran energy-inefficient on average. Among the thirty wheat-producing Iranian provinces considered in this analysis, only six—East Azerbaijan, Golestan, Ardabil, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Alborz, and West Azerbaijan—register an energy use efficiency greater than unity. The average total of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from irrigated wheat is 2243.54 kg CO2-eq ha−1 (with electricity and diesel fuel contributing 52.4% and 29.4%, respectively). The authors categorize the clusters into five groups ranging from sustainable to unsustainable. Five of the six provinces referred to earlier fall into the ‘sustainable’ category, with Bushehr being the sixth. The wheat production units in the ‘sustainable’ category can serve as a benchmark for the clusters in the other categories, which can move up the ladder of sustainability. The authors also recommend measures that policymakers can undertake to ensure the sustainable development of wheat production in Iran, fulfilling the social imperative of food self-sufficiency while truncating the environmental footprint and ensuring economic feasibility.

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Comparative studies were carried out on growth and reproduction patterns of eight populations of Eisenia andrei (Bouché, 1972) from different parts of western Iran along the Zagros Mountains, considered to lie within the natural range of this species. Parameters were gain in body weight, number of cocoon production, hatching success, number of hatchlings, hatchlings growth and survival. There were significant differences in mean numbers of viable cocoons, incubation time, reproductive rate, growth rate and final weight between different populations. The resulting groupings did only partially coincide with genetic clusters established in a previous study. It is nonetheless suggested to include life cycle parameters as an additional set of data to understand the micro-taxonomic structure of variable species.