Environmental impact and mitigation potentials in Greenhouse tomatoes production system in Yangtze River Delta

Based on the farmer survey data and farmers’ grouping method, this study analyzed the resource input, environmental cost and mitigation potential of plastic-greenhouse tomato production, and to find out the reasonable mitigation measures in this region. Our results indicated that there was a large difference in Nr loss and GHG emission for tomato production among farmers. Compared with low-yield and low-efficiency, low-yield and high-efficiency, and high-yield and low-efficiency zones, the Nr loss and GHG emissions of high-yield and high-efficiency zone were lower by -21.3%~44.5% and − 15.7%~30.0% on per hectare basis; 15.5%~59.7% and 19.4%~50.4%on per tonne basis, respectively. Compared with the average of farmers, the Nr loss and GHG emissions of high-yield and high-efficiency were lower by 28.5% and 16.5% on per hectare basis; 43.6% and 34.1% on per tonne basis, respectively. Reducing the amount of nitrogen applied, using organic alternative methods, returning straw to the field, and reducing irrigation water are recommended to mitigate the environmental costs of greenhouse vegetable production.