Environmental footprint of cultivating strawberry in Spain

Strawberry is cultivated worldwide under different production systems. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology has been applied to evaluate the environmental footprint of different strawberry production systems in Spain, considering from the raw material extraction of inputs up to the farm gate, including transport of waste to the treatment plant.

Data from eight systems representing the actual situation of the production systems of strawberry in Spain were gathered: five macrotunnel, two microtunnel, and one open field systems, in soil and soilless, and with conventional, integrated, and organic management. Two functional units were considered: 1 ha of cultivated surface and 1 t of produced strawberry at farm gate. Crop practices were grouped in different stages: structure, auxiliary equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, and crop management. The impact categories selected for the environmental analysis and assessment were climate change, ozone depletion, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, freshwater eutrophication, and freshwater ecotoxicity.

The most innovative systems (macrotunnel soilless integrated and conventional) offered less environmental impacts per t for all categories compared with the rest of the systems, especially macrotunnel soilless integrated. However, the organic strawberries showed the lowest environmental impacts in most categories per ha but their productivity was also low compared with the protected systems. Organically grown strawberries should aim at improving productivity, which might be achieved by optimizing the use of compost. The open field strawberry production system was not environmentally friendly compared with the protected systems. Fertilizers were the stage that acquired the most importance in most of the environmental categories and cropping systems. Acidification, eutrophication, and ecotoxicity were the categories with the highest impacts in all the strawberry production systems (11.3 molc H+ eq/t, 0.37 kg P eq/t and 26,300 CTUe/t, respectively, in the open field system). The optimization of fertilization management, the use of recycled materials and/or with longer service life, and the use of renewable energy could be effective in decreasing the environmental impacts.

The decision for technological innovations needed in the strawberry sector may be supported by environmental studies. The use of more rational farming techniques, such as those implemented in integrated crop production, can reduce environmental burdens in open field systems. Decision support systems on nutrient management and provisions for training programs for farmers should be considered on this highly sensitive area.