Assessment of Carbon Footprint and Life Cycle Costs of Winter Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) Production in Different Soil Tillage Systems

It is essential to identify the environmental impact of crop production with different soil tillage systems and to find solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions if we are to develop low-carbon agriculture. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the carbon footprint and costs of winter wheat production in different soil tillage systems using a life cycle approach. The winter wheat production in three soil tillage systems: conventional tillage, reduced tillage and direct sowing was analysed. The study was conducted in 2015-2017 on 15 farms in the Wielkopolska region (Poland). Inclusion of carbon sequestration into the assessment of carbon footprint allowed for a considerable reduction of the net global warming potential associated with wheat production in unploughed tillage systems. The highest average cost of wheat production per one tonne grain yield was found in reduced tillage. Conventional tillage was associated with the highest costs and greenhouse gas emissions in soil cultivation and sowing, mainly due to a higher fuel consumption and more intensive use of agricultural machinery in comparison to systems with reduced tillage and direct sowing. Pre-farm production linked with the direct input levels contributed mostly to a high overall cost of winter wheat production in the analysed tillage systems.