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Table 3 Inventory for agrochemical inputs and field operations per ODW tonne of Imola poplar harvested

From: Bioethanol from poplar clone Imola: an environmentally viable alternative to fossil fuel?

 

Application rate (kg agrochemical or m3 water)

Agricultural machinery

Energy inputs

(MJ diesel for field operations or MJ electricity for irrigation)c

VSRC

SRC

VSRC

SRC

VSRC

SRC

Ploughing

NA

NA

Tractor (95 kW), three-furrow plough

1.05E+01

1.12E+01

Harrowing

NA

NA

Tractor (70 kW), harrow

5.04E+00

5.36E+00

Planting

NA

NA

Tractor (60 kW)

2.29E+00

9.75E+00

Drill

Rotary machine

Mechanical weed control

NA

NA

Tractor (44 kW), rotary machine

3.11E+01

3.40E+01

Herbicide

3.52E−01

9.39E−02

Tractor (60 kW), sprinkling machine

1.30E+01

9.51E+00

Pesticide

1.31E−01

3.83E−02

Tractor (70 kW), sprinkling machine

N fertilizer

3.33

3.06

Tractor, spraying machine assumed for mechanical applicationa

8.02E+00

7.37E+00

Irrigation system installation

NA

NA

Excavator (12.41 kW)

6.69E−01

5.53E−01

Irrigation

2.37E+02

1.86E+02

Pumpb

2.60E+02

2.14E+02

Harvesting

NA

NA

Harvester 250 kW

8.25E+01

8.25E+01

1.05E+02

  1. NA Not applicable
  2. aFertilizers are manually apply in trails
  3. bElectricity is used for irrigation currently in trial, but an improved energy efficiency for irrigation could be expected at commercial scale
  4. CThe density and low heating value of diesel assumed as 0.83 kg/L and 43.4 MJ/kg, respectively