An Input–Output Energy Analysis in Intensive Agro-ecosystems: A Case Study of Greenhouse Cucumber Production in Varamin County of Tehran Province, Iran

Darijani,, Fatemeh; Veisi,, Hadi; Khoshbakht,, Korous; Liyaghati, Houman; Alipour, Ali

An Input–Output Energy Analysis in Intensive Agro-ecosystems: A Case Study of Greenhouse Cucumber Production in Varamin County of Tehran Province, Iran

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

Fatemeh Darijani, ¹

Hadi Veisi, ²

Korous khoshbakht, ²

Houman Liyaghati ²

Ali Alipour ³

¹ MSc. Of Agroecology, Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, GC.

² Associate Professor, Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University.

³ Ph.D Student of Agroecology, Zabol University.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the energy equivalents of input and output in greenhouse cucumber production in Varamin County of Tehran Province, Iran. A survey methodology with a sample of 200 greenhouse farms was employed in 2010. The results showed that the output–input ratio, specific energy and energy productivity were 0.017, 46.84MJ/kg and 0.02 kg/MJ, respectively. In this sense, diesel (99.03%), human labour (0.37%) and fertilizer (0.34%), had the highest proportion of energy consumption. Based on the results obtained, twostrategies including input substitution and using technical progress were recommended for the best energy efficiency.

Keywords

Keywords: Input–output energy ratio

Energy productivity

Cucumber

Varamin