Energy analysis for greenhouse and open field tomato production

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze energy patterns in open and greenhouse tomato production, since tomato is very important vegetable in human nutrition with tendency to be used whole year. Concerning the high energy consumption in greenhouse production a comparison with open filed tomato production was found to be interesting. Data used in the study were obtained form the experiment carried out on a private property, 140 km south from Belgrade. In the study, energy, values were calculated by multiplying the amount of inputs and outputs by the related energy conversion factors. The same tomato varieties were planted in open filed and in the greenhouse at the same time. The greenhouse used was gutter-connected double PE covered structure 21m wide and 250m long. According to energy output (yield per in 2) parameters for estimating tomato production energy efficiency were calculated (energy input per kg of product, energy out/in ratio and energy, productivity).