Estimate energy, energy balance and economic indices of watered farming watermelon production in North of Iran

Abstract Efficient use of energy in agriculture is one of the conditions for sustainable production. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of input-output energy used in watermelon production and to make an economic analysis of watermelon production under watered farming in Guilan province, Iran. In this article, evaluation of energy balance and energy indices under watered farming watermelon in north of Iran (Guilan province) were investigated. Data were collected from 72 farms by used a face to face questionnaire method during 2010 year in Guilan province. By using of consumed data as inputs and total production as output, and their concern equivalent energy, energy balance and energy indices were calculated. Energy efficiency (energy output to input energy ratio) for yield in this study was calculated 1.75; showing the affective use of energy in the agro ecosystems watermelon production. Energy balance efficiency (production energy to consumption energy ratio) for yield in this study was calculated 0.55; showing the affective use of energy in the agro ecosystems watermelon production. Results of economic analysis showed the benefit to cost ratio in the studied farms was calculated to be 1.88. Therefore watermelon production was a cost effective business based on the data of the 2010 season of watermelon production under watered farming in north of Iran