Input-output energy analysis of rice production in different crop management practices in central China

Reducing energy inputs and enhancing energy use efficiency (EUE) are essential to ensure energy security and long-term sustainability of rice production. Central China accounts for 54% of the total rice cultivated area and total rice production in China. To date, assessments of energy use and EUE regarding rice production in central China have not been performed. To perform these assessments, we determined energy input and EUE in farmers' practice (FP) and simplified and reduced-input practice (SRIP) using an input-output energy analysis. The results suggested that energy input, energy output, and rice grain yield in FP and SRIP were 34544.4 and 25441.5 MJ ha−1, 266744.9 and 234393.0 MJ ha−1, and 9171.3 and 8449.9 kg ha−1, respectively. SRIP exhibited 19.0% and 24.8% significantly higher EUE and energy productivity than FP, respectively. Lower specific energy in SRIP (3.01 MJ kg−1) than in FP (3.76 MJ kg−1) indicated that the energy used to produce one unit of grain was lower in SRIP than in FP. This study demonstrated that EUE could be significantly increased by reducing energy consumption with the adoption of SRIP. Future rice production with reduced energy input will require more innovative agronomic practices to improve both yield and energy output.