Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment

This study presents a greenhouse gases (GHG) life cycle assessment of one tonne of wheat transported to port in south-western Australia; including emissions from pre-farm, on-farm and post-farm stages. The pre-farm stage included GHG emissions from agricultural machinery, fertiliser and pesticide p...

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Main Authors: Biswas, Wahidul, Barton, L., Carter, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2008
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25389
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author Biswas, Wahidul
Barton, L.
Carter, D.
author_facet Biswas, Wahidul
Barton, L.
Carter, D.
author_sort Biswas, Wahidul
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This study presents a greenhouse gases (GHG) life cycle assessment of one tonne of wheat transported to port in south-western Australia; including emissions from pre-farm, on-farm and post-farm stages. The pre-farm stage included GHG emissions from agricultural machinery, fertiliser and pesticide production. The on-farm stage included GHG emissions from diesel use, liming, and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from N fertiliser applications. The post-farm stage included grain storage and transportation to the port. GHG emissions decreased from 487 to 304 kg CO2-equivalents when we used regional specific data for N2O emissions instead of the IPCC default value for the application of synthetic N fertilisers to land (1.0%).. Fertiliser production in the pre-farm stage contributed significantly (35%) to GHG, followed by the on-farm CO2 emissions (27%) and the emissions from transportation of inputs and the wheat (12%). Nitrous oxide emissions from paddock represented 9% of the total GHG emitted. We recommend utilizing regionally specific data for soil N2O emissions, rather than international default values, when assessing GHG for agricultural production systems.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-253892017-09-13T15:52:51Z Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment Biswas, Wahidul Barton, L. Carter, D. Cereal production life cycle assessment nitrous oxide global warming This study presents a greenhouse gases (GHG) life cycle assessment of one tonne of wheat transported to port in south-western Australia; including emissions from pre-farm, on-farm and post-farm stages. The pre-farm stage included GHG emissions from agricultural machinery, fertiliser and pesticide production. The on-farm stage included GHG emissions from diesel use, liming, and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from N fertiliser applications. The post-farm stage included grain storage and transportation to the port. GHG emissions decreased from 487 to 304 kg CO2-equivalents when we used regional specific data for N2O emissions instead of the IPCC default value for the application of synthetic N fertilisers to land (1.0%).. Fertiliser production in the pre-farm stage contributed significantly (35%) to GHG, followed by the on-farm CO2 emissions (27%) and the emissions from transportation of inputs and the wheat (12%). Nitrous oxide emissions from paddock represented 9% of the total GHG emitted. We recommend utilizing regionally specific data for soil N2O emissions, rather than international default values, when assessing GHG for agricultural production systems. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25389 10.1111/j.1747-6593.2008.00127.x Wiley-Blackwell restricted
spellingShingle Cereal production
life cycle assessment
nitrous oxide
global warming
Biswas, Wahidul
Barton, L.
Carter, D.
Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment
title Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment
title_full Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment
title_fullStr Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment
title_full_unstemmed Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment
title_short Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: a life cycle assessment
title_sort global warming potential of wheat production in western australia: a life cycle assessment
topic Cereal production
life cycle assessment
nitrous oxide
global warming
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/25389