Study of Environmental impacts for potato Agroecosystems of Iran by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) had proven to be an appropriate assessment tool for analysis of agri-food products by identifying, quantifying and evaluating the resources consumed and emissions released into the environment. This study was performed for evaluation the environmental impacts of potato agroecosystems based on nitrogen levels by using LCA methodology. Tuber yield mean during 1999-2013 and consumed inputs as one hectare were determined and LCA at four steps including goal definition and scoping, inventory analysis, life cycle impact assessment and integration & interpretation were calculated. Impact categories were acidification, eutrophication and global warming. Functional unit was considered as one tonne tuber. The results revealed that the maximum aquatic and terrestrial eutrophication potentials were computed for >400 kg N ha-1 with 0.72 PO4 equiv./t tuber and 1.80 NOx equiv./t tuber, respectively. The highest global warming potential was calculated 948.87 CO2 equiv./t tuber for 350-400 kg N ha-1. The maximum Eco-Index were computed for >400 kg N ha-1 with 0.37 Eco-x per one tonne tuber. The highest values for impact categories such as aquatic eutrophication, terrestrial eutrophication and acidification were calculated for >400 kg N ha-1 with 0.29, 0.015 and 0.012 Eco-x per one tonne tuber, respectively.