Organic Vegetable Cultivation Reduces Resource and Environmental Costs While Increasing Farmers’ Income in the North China Plain

Abstract

Organic cultivation has been promoted in recent years as a possible alternative to conventional cultivation in order to reduce environmental burdens and nonrenewable resource use. However, a comprehensive assessment of the sustainability of different vegetable cultivation modes is currently lacking. In this study, a combined use of economic analysis (ECA), emergy analysis (EMA), and lifecycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the economic performance, resource use, and environmental impacts of three greenhouse eggplant production modes, namely conventional (CON), low-input (LOW), and organic (ORG) cultivation. ECA results showed that the economic profit and value to cost ratio of ORG increased by 14%–17% and 36%–41% compared with CON and LOW, respectively. EMA results showed that ORG had higher resource use efficiency. The unit emergy value and emergy sustainability index of ORG increased by 37%–49% and 45%–65% than those of CON and LOW, respectively. LCA results revealed lower potential environmental impacts for ORG, and its total potential environment impact index was 80%–91% lower than that of CON and LOW. These results showed that organic vegetable cultivation reduced resource and environmental costs while increasing farmers’ income, which is the most sustainable vegetable production mode in the North China Plain.

Spatial, Temporal, and Vertical Variability of Ambient Environmental Conditions in Chinese Solar Greenhouses during Winter

“…The low operational costs of CSGs, stemming from their energysaving properties, have made them highly popular in China [10,11]. The cultivation of vegetables in solar greenhouses in China grew from approximately 3.3 million hectares in 2012 [12] to 3.8 million hectares in 2020 [13]. However, during the winter, conventional greenhouses often face challenges in maintaining optimum growing conditions for crops and vegetables.…”

“…Sci. 2023,13, 9835 17 of 20a,b,c Different letters in the same column indicate different data levels (p ≤ 0.05). T1 = bottom layer, T2 = middle layer, T3 = top layer, CV = coefficient of variance (%), Sig = level of significance (*** highly significant).…”

Agro-Based Spent Mushroom Compost Substrates Improve Soil Properties and Microbial Diversity in Greenhouse Tomatoes

“…In seeking an alternative system to replace conventional greenhouse cultivation, researchers have invested more effort into potential alternatives, for example, the organic cultivation system [11]. The application of agro-based spent mushroom compost substrates has been shown to be a beneficial alternative approach for the cultivation of crops and horticultural plants in greenhouse systems [12].…”

Can Precise Irrigation Support the Sustainability of Protected Cultivation? A Life-Cycle Assessment and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis

“…It is becoming increasingly important in the Mediterranean region to increase crop productivity and profit potential while also supplying food on an all-year-round basis while bolstering food security [1]. Greenhouse horticulture is recognized globally for its ability to higher productivity, earlier harvesting, more consistent production, and higher quality [2,3], but environmental impacts remain a controversial issue and challenging issue that cannot be ignored [4]. Greenhouse production is one of the most intensive agricultural systems, often characterized by heavy use of energy, water, and chemical inputs [3,5].…”