Abstract
Efficient water and resource management is crucial in semi-arid agriculture, where irrigation practices strongly affect productivity, profitability, and environmental outcomes. This study applied the Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) framework to compare potato production under sprinkler and furrow irrigation in Iran. MFCA has rarely been applied to potato production, and the hidden economic, energy, and environmental costs of different irrigation systems in semi-arid regions remain largely unexplored. Results showed that sprinkler irrigation required less water (9110 m 3 ha −1 vs. 13587 m 3 ha −1 ) and fertilizers (300 vs. 350 kg N ha −1 ), while achieving a higher yield (40000 vs. 27500 kg ha −1 ). Economically, sprinkler irrigation reduced production costs ($1304.2 ha -1 vs. $1531.2 ha -1 ), increased gross incomes ($8088 vs. $6196 ha −1 ), and improved the benefit-to-cost ratio (7.7 vs. 5.05). Hidden costs were also lower ($1392 ha −1 vs. $2227 ha −1 ). Energy analysis further confirmed the efficiency of sprinkler systems, with lower input energy (102,743 vs. 131,990 MJ ha −1 ), higher positive output energy (144000 vs. 99000 MJ ha −1 ), and a positive net energy balance (11581 vs. −82628 MJ ha −1 ). MFCA-adjusted Energy Ratio (1.11 vs. 0.37), energy productivity (0.39 vs. 0.21 kg MJ −1 ), and specific energy (2.57 vs. 4.80 MJ kg −1 ) all favored sprinkler irrigation. Although limited to farm-level processes in one region, the findings demonstrate that sprinkler irrigation provides significant environmental, economic, and energy benefits, offering a sustainable pathway for potato production in semi-arid areas. Overall, the MFCA framework effectively revealed internal inefficiencies, quantified recoverable loss costs, and provided complementary insight beyond conventional economic and energy metrics. The findings indicate that while sprinkler irrigation improves productivity and resource-use efficiency, its adoption remains sensitive to financing structures. These results underscore the need for supportive credit mechanisms and targeted subsidies to facilitate efficient irrigation transitions and maximize both economic and environmental benefits.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation required less water than furrow irrigation in potato production.
- Taxon
- potato
Solanum tuberosumt0 - Treatment
- sprinkler irrigatione0
- Outcome
- watere0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Value
- 9110 m 3 ha −1e0
- Qualifier
- 13587 m 3 ha −1e0
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e0“sprinkler irrigation required less water (9110 m 3 ha −1 vs. 13587 m 3 ha −1 ) and fertilizers (300 vs. 350 kg N ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation required less fertilizer than furrow irrigation in potato production.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigatione0
- Outcome
- fertilizerse0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Value
- 300 vs. 350 kg N ha −1e0
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e0“sprinkler irrigation required less water (9110 m 3 ha −1 vs. 13587 m 3 ha −1 ) and fertilizers (300 vs. 350 kg N ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation achieved a higher potato yield than furrow irrigation.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 40000 vs. 27500 kg ha −1e1
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e1“achieving a higher yield (40000 vs. 27500 kg ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation reduced potato production costs compared with furrow irrigation.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigatione2
- Outcome
- production costse2
- Direction
- reducede2
- Value
- $1304.2 ha -1 vs. $1531.2 ha -1e2
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e2“sprinkler irrigation reduced production costs ($1304.2 ha -1 vs. $1531.2 ha -1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation increased gross income per hectare compared with furrow irrigation.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- gross incomese3
- Direction
- increasede3
- Value
- $8088 vs. $6196 ha −1e3
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e3“increased gross incomes ($8088 vs. $6196 ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation improved the benefit-to-cost ratio of potato production.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- benefit-to-cost ratioe4
- Direction
- improvede4
- Value
- 7.7 vs. 5.05e4
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e4“improved the benefit-to-cost ratio (7.7 vs. 5.05)”
Claim · model-written summary
Hidden costs were lower under sprinkler than under furrow irrigation.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- Hidden costse5
- Direction
- lowere5
- Value
- $1392 ha −1 vs. $2227 ha −1e5
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e5“Hidden costs were also lower ($1392 ha −1 vs. $2227 ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation had lower input energy than furrow irrigation in potato production.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- input energye6
- Direction
- lowere6
- Value
- 102,743 vs. 131,990 MJ ha −1e6
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e6“lower input energy (102,743 vs. 131,990 MJ ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation had higher positive output energy than furrow irrigation in potato production.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- positive output energye7
- Direction
- highere7
- Value
- 144000 vs. 99000 MJ ha −1e7
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e7“higher positive output energy (144000 vs. 99000 MJ ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Sprinkler irrigation gave a positive net energy balance, unlike furrow irrigation.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigationt0
- Outcome
- net energy balancee1
- Direction
- positivee1
- Value
- 11581 vs. −82628 MJ ha −1e1
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e1“a positive net energy balance (11581 vs. −82628 MJ ha −1 )”
Claim · model-written summary
The MFCA-adjusted Energy Ratio favored sprinkler irrigation (1.11 vs. 0.37).
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigatione2
- Outcome
- MFCA-adjusted Energy Ratioe1
- Direction
- favorede2
- Value
- 1.11 vs. 0.37e1
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e1“MFCA-adjusted Energy Ratio (1.11 vs. 0.37)”
e2“all favored sprinkler irrigation”
Claim · model-written summary
Energy productivity favored sprinkler irrigation (0.39 vs. 0.21 kg MJ −1).
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigatione2
- Outcome
- energy productivitye1
- Direction
- favorede2
- Value
- 0.39 vs. 0.21 kg MJ −1e1
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e1“energy productivity (0.39 vs. 0.21 kg MJ −1 )”
e2“all favored sprinkler irrigation”
Claim · model-written summary
Specific energy favored sprinkler irrigation (2.57 vs. 4.80 MJ kg −1).
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Treatment
- sprinkler irrigatione2
- Outcome
- specific energye1
- Direction
- favorede2
- Value
- 2.57 vs. 4.80 MJ kg −1e1
- Comparator
- furrowt0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e1“specific energy (2.57 vs. 4.80 MJ kg −1 )”
e2“all favored sprinkler irrigation”
Claim · model-written summary
Supportive credit mechanisms and targeted subsidies are needed for efficient irrigation transitions in potato production.
- Taxon
- potatoSolanum tuberosumt0
- Outcome
- supportive credit mechanisms and targeted subsidiese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“potato production under furrow and sprinkler irrigation systems”
e1“These results underscore the need for supportive credit mechanisms and targeted subsidies to facilitate efficient irrigation transitions”
The same questions in other papers
irrigation · yield · Solanum tuberosum (potato)Results differ
74 papers in the same direction as this paper · 16 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- no effect
- negative
88 papers more in this group
See all 92 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.