Improving the environmental performance of horticultural production: fruits and vegetables

Publication date: 08/05/2019
Extent: 26 pages

Contributions by: Cornelius Adewale and David Granatstein, Washington State University, USA

Chapter synopsis: Horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables) are generally considered to have a relatively low environmental impact compared to other food types, yet there is huge diversity among crops and their impact. For fruit crops, the largest impacts occur at the farm level, most often related to machinery use, pesticides and fertilizers. For vegetables, post-harvest energy use is often a hot spot, whereas this chapter examines key findings from life cycle assessment (LCA) of horticultural crops, including a comparison between production systems. The chapter looks at the unique challenges of LCA for horticultural crops, and provides a detailed case study of the OFoot Project in Washington State, USA. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this area and provides suggested reading on the topic.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2018.0044.13