Life Cycle Assessment of Spinach for Processing Use under Mechanized Production System

Abstract

Objective. In this study, we performed a comparative life cycle assessment（LCA）of two production systems for spinach for processing use: mechanized production system and conventional production system. We estimated greenhouse gas emissions in both systems, compared them in terms of superiority or inferiority, and considered the impact on global warming of the mechanization of spinach for processing use production.

Results and Discussion. The emissions of greenhouse gases in the mechanized production system amounted to 318.5kg per 1000 square meters, and those of the conventional production system were 311.8kg. This indicates that the greenhouse gases emissions in the mechanized production system surpassed those in the conventional production system by 2%. The fertilizer manufacturing process was the largest emission source in both systems. The emissions per unit area from the mechanized production system were reduced along with enhancement of the operation rate.

Conclusions. The greenhouse gases emissions of spinach for processing use in the mechanized production system surpassed those in the conventional production system by 2%.