Evaluation of onion cultivation energy balance in east Azerbaijan province

Abstract

One of the estimating methods of agricultural development and production stability in agricultural locations is the use of energy flow method. In this consideration energy flow in agricultural ecosystems of onion in East Azerbaijan was calculated by the use of gathered information and data via questionnaire and statistics of related Province’s agricultural Jihad organization and farms. The related data of inputs and outputs were altered to equal amounts of consumer and productive energy and then energy efficiency was calculated. Energy amounts of used factors and input in this type of cultivation was estimated 22307134 kcal/ha and output (production) energy amount of onion yield was 18594060 kcal/ha. Also energy efficiency value (output/input) was 0.833 percent. Data show that most of the consumer energy of onion cultivation of East Azerbaijan province is related to irrigation water use and chemical fertilizers and energy that used in machinery. In such a condition it is suggested that through precise determining of the vegetable’s water need, replacing modern irrigation methods in regard to current methods, preventing irregular use of inputs specially nitrogen fertilizers, applying proper managing methods in dry regions and using fertilizer on the base of soil test and production potential by increasing usage of function, energy could be optimum.