Evaluation of Environmental Indicators of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L) Production in Monoculture, Intercropping and Agroforestry Systems in Khuzestan Province

The agricultural industry produces about 10-12% of the world's greenhouse gases. studying the energy use in agriculture systems can be effective in optimizing energy consumption and reducing environmental pollution. This study was performed to evaluate the environmental indicators of okra production by the ReCiPe 2016 method in Monoculture, intercropping with cucumber and date palm agroforestry systems in Khuzestan province. This research was carried out in the cropping seasons 2020-2021. The system boundary of the research is from planting to harvesting okra in its cultivation systems. Collected information included all inputs used such as fertilizers, pesticides, Agricultural machinery, human labor, and fuel consumption. The studied method is ReCiPe 2016 environmental indicators. This method includes the end point of damage to human health, ecosystems, and resources, as well as midpoint indicators such as global warming and ozone depletion. The results showed that intercropping of okra and cucumber has higher environmental destructive effects due to the use of higher chemical and plastic inputs than monoculture and agroforestry (17.15 and 79.10 respectively). Nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate, and fuel consumption along with plastic are the most effective inputs in environmental indicators. Eco-efficiency index also showed that okra and date agroforestry have a significant advantage over monoculture and intercropping. Therefore, considering the higher performance of intercropping system compared to monoculture, it is recommended to optimize its high-use inputs. Also in areas of Khuzestan province where there is a possibility of agroforestry, this type of cultivation is recommended due to its lower environmental pollution.