Comparison of energy efficiency of rice agroecosystems in Guilan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces

Today، the agricultural sector is one of the main energy consumers worldwide. Increasing world population، accompanied by natural resource limitations، reveals the importance of research about energy use efficiency in agriculture that is responsible for supplying food security for this population. This study was performed to evaluate and compare energy efficiency in the rice agroecosystems of Kohgiluye and Bouyerahmad and Guilan Provinces of Iran in the 2010-2011 crop season. Data acquisition was performed using the field study method and completing a questionnaire. Completion of the questionnaire was accomplished by face-to-face interviews on farms. According to the results، the total energy input of Guilan rice agroecosystems was 43496. 33 MJ/ha، of which the greatest share of energy inputs was related to water for irrigation (38. 54 %)، electricity (23. 99 %) and nitrogen fertilizers (18. 98 %). The energy input amount of the Kohgiluye and Bouyerahmad rice agroecosystems was 33668. 16 MJ/Ha، and the geatest share of energy inputs was related to water for irrigation (49. 7 %)، nitrogen fertilizers (27. 99 %) and phosphorous fertilizers (4. 65 %). The combined energy output of Guilan and Kohgiluye and Bouyerahmad Provinces’ rice agroecosystems was obtained at 122913. 16 and 113820. 21 MJ/Ha، respectively. Energy efficiency for the aforementioned fields was calculated as 2. 82 and 3. 38، respectively.