Energy use pattern in rice production: A case study from Mazandaran province, Iran

Highlights: ► We compare the energy use efficiency in rice production for traditional and mechanized system. ► Since farmers growing native, high yield and hybrid rice cultivars we have focused on mean data. ► Chemical fertilizer has the highest share in total energy inputs were followed by diesel fuel. ► Rice production in traditional system has lower output but higher EUE than mechanized system. - Abstract: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is grown under both traditional system (TS) and mechanized system (MS) in Iran. In this study the energy consumption for rice is analyzed in Mazandaran, Northern province of Iran. The indicators are: net energy, energy use efficiency, specific energy, energy productivity, direct energy, indirect energy, renewable energy, non-renewable and total energy input. The cultivars of rice commonly grown in Iran are listed in three groups: native, high yield cultivars and hybrid cultivar. Primary data were obtained through field survey and personal interviews using questionnaires from 48 agricultural services center in Mazandaran province. Secondary data and energy equivalents were obtained from available literature using collected data of the production period of 2007–2008. Analysis of date showed that averagely diesel fuel had the highest share within the total energy inputs, followed by chemical fertilizer in rice production in both TS and MS. Energy use efficiency was calculated as 1.72 in TS and 1.63 in MS. Total energy consumption in rice production were 71,092.26 MJ/ha (TS) and 79,460.33 MJ/ha (MS). In general, there were not significant changes regarding the human labor and chemicals in tow systems