Determination of energy efficiency and productivity in cotton life cycle in order to prepare the seed and re-cultivate it in different tillage methods (Case study in Varamin city)

Analysis of important energy indices in cotton cultivation is includes all stages in seed production of cotton seed from the stage of seed bed preparation until after harvest (cotton seed cracking). In Iran, up to harvesting studies have been done in conventional tillage method, and no research has been done from seed preparation till post harvest stage in different tillage methods. In this study was investigated the amount of energy consumed from seed bed stage to post harvest stage (seed cracking) in different tillage methods. Tillage treatments that were divided by reduction in energy consumption included conventional tillage (CT), low tillage(RT), minimum tillage (MT) and no tillage (direct planting) that were evaluated in a completely randomized block design. The results showed that conventional tillage with average yield of 3636.4 kg/ha had the highest yield and tillage treatment with average yield of 1753.3 kg/ha had the least amount of cotton yield. The results of this study showed that conventional tillage had the highest energy consumption (38942.44 MJ/ha) and no tillage treatment had the lowest energy consumption (32063.02 MJ/ha). The highest direct energy consumption were in conventional tillage method (19302.99 MJ/ha) and the no tillage method had the lowest direct energy consumption (12423.57 MJ/ha). The highest direct energy consumption was related to irrigation input and then fuel consumption respectively with 5850 and 4704.4 MJ/ha. The total amount of indirect energy consumed, including pesticides and fertilizers, was calculated to be 19639.45 MJ/ha. The highest Energy Ratio and energy Productivity were obtained in conventional tillage respectively values of 1.99 MJ/MJ and 0.09 kg/MJ and the lowest values were obtained in no tillage respectively with 1.17 MJ/MJ and 0.05 kg/MJ. According to the results of researches and the higher Energy Ratio and energy Productivity in conventional tillage method, this method can be recommended as a tillage method in this area.