Assessment of the environmental impacts of soybean production within fields in Madhya Pradesh: a life cycle analysis approach.

Abstract

Soybean is a versatile crop that can be used as an oilseed or food crop. Increasing soybean production is beneficial to agricultural economies, but significant concerns have been raised about its environmental impacts. This study evaluates the environmental footprint of soybean production using life cycle assessment (LCA) within the "cradle-to-gate" system in Madhya Pradesh (central India) for the first time. The analysis demonstrated that untreated residue on the ground increases the global warming potential by 19.78 kg CO2 eq ha-1 and land use emissions by 3.61 m2a crop eq ha-1. Additionally, burning residue significantly increases global warming potential by 210.80 kg CO2 eq. ha-1. Furthermore, the potential for aquatic eutrophication ranges between 0.38 and 0.80 kg N eq. and between 0.16 and 0.21 kg P eq ha-1 for marine and freshwater systems, respectively. This assessment reinforces that global warming potential, fossil resource scarcity, acidification, and land use emissions are the primary environmental concerns linked to soybean cultivation. These issues predominantly arise from fuel combustion in agricultural machinery and the application of soil nutrients throughout the production process. This investigation provides a basis for informed decision-making and the development of sustainable practices to balance the agricultural significance of soybean with environmental considerations.