Estimation of energy flow and environmental impacts of quinoa cultivation through life cycle assessment methodology

Quinoa is an adaptable plant that is rich in terms of nutritional properties. Currently, the promotion and cultivation of quinoa are expanding in Iran. The present study aimed to investigate the energy consumption of quinoa grain production and its environmental impacts through life cycle assessment. In this regard, in order to evaluate the environmental and energy indices, required data were collected from quinoa farmers in Isfahan. The high energy ratio (ER > 1) and positive net energy show that quinoa cultivation is efficient. Based on the results, irrigation water and nitrate fertilizer were identified as the major contributors to energy consumption. Based on the normalization method, the highest and lowest environmental impacts during the production process were related to the indices of marine aquatic ecotoxicity and ozone layer depletion, respectively. Results showed that in the global warming potential impact, 354 kg CO(2eq.) were emitted per production of 1 tonne of quinoa grain. Diesel fuel and nitrogen fertilizer had a significant effect on most environmental impacts. Proper management of chemical fertilizers and agricultural machinery are key factors for sustainable cultivation of quinoa.