Environmental Assessment of Furrow vs. Drip Irrigated Pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) Production Systems in Loess Plateau (China)

Irrigation systems increase fruit yield of water shortage orchards in semiarid and arid lands, but their environmental impacts remain unclear. This study carries out a comparative cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) the furrow drip irrigated pear production Loess Plateau China based on 2009–2018 inventory data from integrated experimental stations. The depletion (WD), footprint (WF), global warming (GWP), acidification (AP), eutrophication (EP) potentials were calculated compared, including orchard installation phase (phase I), primary growing II), low III), full IV). Results indicated that cumulative WD, GWP, AP, EP system 148.3 m3, 130.1 kg CO2-eq, 0.9 SO2-eq, 0.6 PO4-eq per ton harvest, respectively, which 37.3–73.5% lower than those system. EP, WD I to III contributed 39.3–46.1% vs. 27.8–38.6% total amount, should not be neglected perennial systems. annual WFs 0.9, 0.2, 0.2 m3 kg?1 year?1 phases II, III, IV system, 50–71.4% Green WF approximately same, blue grey irrigation 35.7–62.1% 66.0–73.2% significantly mitigated WFs, mainly due reduced fertilizer application, consumption, electricity, diesel demand. changed was responsible for most reductions, 8% decreases yields IV. outcomes assessing could provide useful information decision-making by orchardists Plateau.