Energy savings in soft wheat (Triticum aestivum) production in dry land system.

Les objectifs de cette etude consistent a evaluer la consommation d’energie directe et indirecte lors la production du ble tendre. Pour cela, une enquete a ete menee aupres de 81 exploitations agricoles reparties en 4 categories. Les resultats indiquent que la consommation d’energie par hectare varie de 9,7 a 11,1 GJ. Les fertilisants, les semences et carburant representent respectivement 43,8%, 27,7% et 18,6% de la consommation totale. Quant a la consommation specifique, elle varie de 3,05 a 3,37 MJ/kg. En tenant compte de ces resultats et aux attitudes des agriculteurs, des equations de prediction de la consommation d’energie ont ete etablies. Les resultats montrent que la reduction de la dose de semis et de la consommation en carburant menent a une economie d’energie variant de 8,6 a 20,6 % .Ce potentiel represente l’equivalent de 29,6 % de la consommation du carburant dans la production du ble tendre au Maroc. La consommation specifique pourrait egalement etre reduite de 19,6 a 22,9% .L’adoption de ces pratiques reduira l’emission des gaz a effet de serre de 119,1 Kte CO2par an. Mots-cles: Ble tendre, Energie, Gaz a effet de serre. Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine the energy consumption in soft wheat production, and evaluate the possibility of energy savings. For this purpose, data were collected from 81 farms applying questionnaires via face-to-face interviews. Energy expenditures per hectare (MJ/ha) and specific energy consumption (MJ/kg grain produced) for four types of farms were studied. Results indicate that the total energy consumption varies from 9.7 to 11.1 GJ/ha. The share of fertilizers, seeds and diesel represents respectively 43.8%, 27.7% and 18.6%. Specific energy consumption is found to be 3.05 MJ/kg for small scale farms and 3.37 MJ/kg for large scale farms. According to these results and to farmer’s attitudes, a prediction equation for each type of farm was established to analyze the possibility of energy saving. 8.6% for small scale farms, 20.6 % for large scale farm of total energy consumption could be saved by reducing the seed rate and fuel consumption. The potential energy that can be saved represents 29.6% of the total fuel consumed in soft wheat production. Specific energy consumption could also be reduced by 19.6 to 22.9%. Adoption of the options outlined above would reduce GHG emissions from Morocco’s soft wheat farming by an estimated 119.1 kte CO2 a year.  Keywords: Soft wheat, Energy balance, Energy saving, GHG emission