Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain
Winter wheat cultivation faces yield reductions in the North China Plain due to drought and excessive nitrogen fertilizer use, exacerbated by climate change. This study employed a life cycle assessment approach, integrating economic and material input-output data, to evaluate the eco-efficiency of r...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-09-01
|
| Series: | Agricultural Water Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425004111 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850037957812027392 |
|---|---|
| author | Chao Wang Yehan Fu Hongge Wang Yazhan Ren Yunying Zhang Yuzhao Ma Yunzhou Qiao Baodi Dong Yuechen Zhang |
| author_facet | Chao Wang Yehan Fu Hongge Wang Yazhan Ren Yunying Zhang Yuzhao Ma Yunzhou Qiao Baodi Dong Yuechen Zhang |
| author_sort | Chao Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Winter wheat cultivation faces yield reductions in the North China Plain due to drought and excessive nitrogen fertilizer use, exacerbated by climate change. This study employed a life cycle assessment approach, integrating economic and material input-output data, to evaluate the eco-efficiency of reduced irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Field experiments were conducted with four irrigation regimes at the jointing stage (W0: no irrigation; W1: 75 mm), heading stage (W2: additional 75 mm), and filling stage (W3: additional 75 mm), in combination with three nitrogen fertilization levels (conventional, N250: 250 kg ha−1; 20 % reduction, N200: 200 kg ha−1; 40 % reduction, and N150: 150 kg ha−1). The interactive effects on environmental benefits were comprehensively assessed. Results showed irrigation frequency had higher effect on yield than nitrogen application, with nitrogen reduction causing a maximum yield loss of 11.7 %, while reduced irrigation led to 34.0–48.9 % yield losses. Under conditions of sufficient water availability, total environmental costs were inversely correlated with wheat yield and did not increase with higher irrigation frequency. Specifically, increasing irrigation frequency reduced total environmental costs by an average of 32.4 %, 26.9 %, and 23.7 % under N250, N200, and N150 fertilization levels, respectively. Nitrogen fertilizer inputs represented the largest contributor to environmental costs, accounting for 25.6–60.1 % of the total environmental burden. Nitrogen reduction strategies enhanced overall eco-efficiency and lowered environmental costs, whereas water-saving measures involving reduced irrigation decreased eco-efficiency and increased environmental costs. The optimal strategy for high-quality wheat production involved applying 150 kg ha−1 nitrogen and irrigating twice (W2), balancing yield, sustainability, and eco-efficiency. This approach effectively balances yield, environmental sustainability, and eco-efficiency, providing a practical solution to address the environmental challenges of wheat production in the region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0407ea25caf8419a8e286d5d2f0d3214 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1873-2283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agricultural Water Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-0407ea25caf8419a8e286d5d2f0d32142025-08-20T02:56:44ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832025-09-0131810969710.1016/j.agwat.2025.109697Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China PlainChao Wang0Yehan Fu1Hongge Wang2Yazhan Ren3Yunying Zhang4Yuzhao Ma5Yunzhou Qiao6Baodi Dong7Yuechen Zhang8College of Agronomy, Heibei Agricultural University, Baoding 071000, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, ChinaHebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author at: Hebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050022, China.College of Agronomy, Heibei Agricultural University, Baoding 071000, China; Corresponding author.Winter wheat cultivation faces yield reductions in the North China Plain due to drought and excessive nitrogen fertilizer use, exacerbated by climate change. This study employed a life cycle assessment approach, integrating economic and material input-output data, to evaluate the eco-efficiency of reduced irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Field experiments were conducted with four irrigation regimes at the jointing stage (W0: no irrigation; W1: 75 mm), heading stage (W2: additional 75 mm), and filling stage (W3: additional 75 mm), in combination with three nitrogen fertilization levels (conventional, N250: 250 kg ha−1; 20 % reduction, N200: 200 kg ha−1; 40 % reduction, and N150: 150 kg ha−1). The interactive effects on environmental benefits were comprehensively assessed. Results showed irrigation frequency had higher effect on yield than nitrogen application, with nitrogen reduction causing a maximum yield loss of 11.7 %, while reduced irrigation led to 34.0–48.9 % yield losses. Under conditions of sufficient water availability, total environmental costs were inversely correlated with wheat yield and did not increase with higher irrigation frequency. Specifically, increasing irrigation frequency reduced total environmental costs by an average of 32.4 %, 26.9 %, and 23.7 % under N250, N200, and N150 fertilization levels, respectively. Nitrogen fertilizer inputs represented the largest contributor to environmental costs, accounting for 25.6–60.1 % of the total environmental burden. Nitrogen reduction strategies enhanced overall eco-efficiency and lowered environmental costs, whereas water-saving measures involving reduced irrigation decreased eco-efficiency and increased environmental costs. The optimal strategy for high-quality wheat production involved applying 150 kg ha−1 nitrogen and irrigating twice (W2), balancing yield, sustainability, and eco-efficiency. This approach effectively balances yield, environmental sustainability, and eco-efficiency, providing a practical solution to address the environmental challenges of wheat production in the region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425004111Life cycle assessmentEnvironment benefitProteinWheatWater saving |
| spellingShingle | Chao Wang Yehan Fu Hongge Wang Yazhan Ren Yunying Zhang Yuzhao Ma Yunzhou Qiao Baodi Dong Yuechen Zhang Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain Agricultural Water Management Life cycle assessment Environment benefit Protein Wheat Water saving |
| title | Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain |
| title_full | Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain |
| title_fullStr | Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain |
| title_short | Life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water-saving and nitrogen-reducing practices in the North China Plain |
| title_sort | life cycle assessment of environment benefits in wheat production under water saving and nitrogen reducing practices in the north china plain |
| topic | Life cycle assessment Environment benefit Protein Wheat Water saving |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377425004111 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chaowang lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT yehanfu lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT honggewang lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT yazhanren lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT yunyingzhang lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT yuzhaoma lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT yunzhouqiao lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT baodidong lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain AT yuechenzhang lifecycleassessmentofenvironmentbenefitsinwheatproductionunderwatersavingandnitrogenreducingpracticesinthenorthchinaplain |