Energy use Efficiency and Cost-Benefit Analysis of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris) Production in the Irrigated Central Clay Plain of Guneid Area - Sudan

Abstract

The main objectives of this study were to determine and analyze energy use efficiency in sugar beet production, and to make cost-benefit analysis in Guneid area - Sudan. An experiment was carried out using three tillage implements (disc plough, disc harrow and ridger) for land preparation, seven days irrigation interval and mechanical planter. The treatments were replicated four times in a completely randomized block design. The results showed that total energy consumption in sugar beet production was 35099.20MJha-1, out of which 52.33% of fertilizer energy, 18.0% water energy and 9.0% of diesel energy. The energy use ratio was 28.71 and energy productivity was 1.71kgMJha-1. The results also showed that 73.6% of total energy input was in non-renewable energy form, and only 26.4% was in renewable form, while 34.1% was in from of direct energy and 65.9% indirect energy. Cost-Benefit analyses showed that the total return, net return, benefit–cost ratio and productivity of crop were 2689.6 US$ha-1, 990.8 US$ha-1, 1.58. and 35.3kgUSD-1 respectively. Although large amounts of energy consumption for sugar beet production increased the yield, it also caused in problems related to environmental pollution, land degradation, nutrient loading and pesticide toxicity. Therefore, it is important to look for methods and systems that can reduce the negative effect of high energy inputs and to develop more efficient, economical and environmentally friendly agricultural production systems that increase energy use efficiency and crop yield.