Effect of Farm Size on Energy Ratio for Wheat Production: A Case Study from Ardabil Province of Iran

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine direct and indirect input energy in per hectare in wheat production. The research also sought to analyse the effect of farm size. For this purpose, the data were collected from 300 wheat farmers by questionnaire method. The results indicated that wheat production consumed a total of 38.36 GJ ha of which fertilizer energy consumption was 38.45 % followed by diesel and machinery energy.1 Output–input energy ratio and energy productivity were found to be 3.13 and 0.16 kg of wheat MJ,1 respectively. Large farms were more successful in energy use and energy ratio. It was concluded that energy use management at farm level could be improved to give more efficient and use of energy. Key words: Energy requirements Wheat production Energy productivity Energy ratio INTRODUCTION both [5]. Effective energy use in agriculture is one of the Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is among the oldest it provides financial savings, fossil resources preservation and most extensively grown of all crops. It is a main cereal and air pollution Reduction [6]. Application of integrated cultivated throughout the world along with rice, production methods are recently considered as a means barley, maize, rye, sorghum, oats and millet. Nowadays, to reduce production costs, to efficiently use huma