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Purpose <p>This study compares the environmental performance of soilless and in-soil strawberry production systems in Maletto (Italy) through life cycle assessment. Additionally, attention is given to the applicability of conventional emission estimation methods in soilless systems, an aspect still poorly investigated in literature.</p> Methods <p>Primary data are collected for a soilless greenhouse and an open-field system with four tunnel greenhouses. Secondary data for background processes are retrieved from Ecoinvent 3.8 database. The assessment follows a cradle-to-gate approach with 1 kg of fresh harvested strawberries produced in Maletto, Italy, over one complete production cycle for each, during 2023, as functional unit. System boundaries include the greenhouse, the irrigation system, field operations (for in-soil system), crop production, waste management, and transport. Environmental impacts are assessed using the Environmental Footprint 3.0 method. Furthermore, emission estimation methods conventionally used in soil-based systems are evaluated for their application to soilless cultivation through sensitivity analysis.</p> Results and discussion <p>The soilless system shows better environmental performance in most impact categories, mainly due to higher productivity, as well as lower water consumption and pesticide use. However, the in-soil system performs better in Human Toxicity, Eutrophication, Freshwater Ecotoxicity, and Resource use categories. Both systems highlight the same environmental hotspots, namely, greenhouse materials and fertilizers, while field operations and substrate emerge as specific hotspots respectively for in-soil and soilless system. The sensitivity analysis reveals variations across emission estimation methods, showing methodological challenges in applying conventional approaches to soilless systems.</p> Conclusions <p>While soilless systems demonstrate a better performance compared to in-soil systems, their improvement calls for careful evaluation of environmental benefits against economic and technical constraints. Additionally, the development of specific emission estimation methods is still needed. Future research should focus on developing substrate-specific emission factors while holistically assessing both potential system improvements and their economic and social implications.</p>

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Soil-less is more? A comparative life cycle assessment case study of agricultural growing methods

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年4月16日

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  • Antonio Licastro,
  • Roberta Salomone,
  • Giovanni Mondello,
  • Grazia Calabrò

摘要

Purpose

This study compares the environmental performance of soilless and in-soil strawberry production systems in Maletto (Italy) through life cycle assessment. Additionally, attention is given to the applicability of conventional emission estimation methods in soilless systems, an aspect still poorly investigated in literature.

Methods

Primary data are collected for a soilless greenhouse and an open-field system with four tunnel greenhouses. Secondary data for background processes are retrieved from Ecoinvent 3.8 database. The assessment follows a cradle-to-gate approach with 1 kg of fresh harvested strawberries produced in Maletto, Italy, over one complete production cycle for each, during 2023, as functional unit. System boundaries include the greenhouse, the irrigation system, field operations (for in-soil system), crop production, waste management, and transport. Environmental impacts are assessed using the Environmental Footprint 3.0 method. Furthermore, emission estimation methods conventionally used in soil-based systems are evaluated for their application to soilless cultivation through sensitivity analysis.

Results and discussion

The soilless system shows better environmental performance in most impact categories, mainly due to higher productivity, as well as lower water consumption and pesticide use. However, the in-soil system performs better in Human Toxicity, Eutrophication, Freshwater Ecotoxicity, and Resource use categories. Both systems highlight the same environmental hotspots, namely, greenhouse materials and fertilizers, while field operations and substrate emerge as specific hotspots respectively for in-soil and soilless system. The sensitivity analysis reveals variations across emission estimation methods, showing methodological challenges in applying conventional approaches to soilless systems.

Conclusions

While soilless systems demonstrate a better performance compared to in-soil systems, their improvement calls for careful evaluation of environmental benefits against economic and technical constraints. Additionally, the development of specific emission estimation methods is still needed. Future research should focus on developing substrate-specific emission factors while holistically assessing both potential system improvements and their economic and social implications.