Ali Hosein Zalaghi - Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, PO Box ۱۱۵, Shahrekord, ۸۸۱۸۶-۳۴۱۴۱, Iran
Amin Lotfalian Dehkordi - Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, PO Box ۱۱۵, Shahrekord, ۸۸۱۸۶-۳۴۱۴۱, Iran
Asghar Abedi - Department of Mechanical Engineering of Biosystems, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, PO Box ۱۱۵, Shahrekord, ۸۸۱۸۶-۳۴۱۴۱, Iran
Morteza Taki - Department of Agricultural Machinery and Mechanization Engineering, Agriculture Science and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

Analysis of energy consumption provides useful information for planners and policymakers to improve the efficiency of energy consumption. Given the energy crisis which caused by the consumption of non-renewable resources in agriculture sector, a lot of attempts have been made to reduce the energy consumption of inputs as much as possible. The goal of this study is to evaluate the energy efficiency and determine the optimal pattern of input consumption and improve the efficiency in apple orchards. Based on the simple random sampling method and Cochran equation, sample size was determined as ۳۰. Based on the results, inputs energy and output were obtained as ۷۳۰۹۲ and ۵۹۵۳۷ MJ ha-۱, respectively and electricity was identified as major contributor to total energy consumption with the share of ۳۷.۹۱% (۲۷۷۷۰۷ MJ ha-۱). Energy efficiency (ER), energy productivity (EP) and specific energy (SE) were determined as ۰.۸۲, ۰.۴۳ kg MJ-۱ and ۲.۳۶ MJ kg-۱, respectively. Results showed that the total amount of cumulative energy demand is ۳۲۱۵۹.۹۲ MJ tonne-۱ for five environmental impact categories, of which non-renewable fossil resources had highest contribution to total cumulative energy demand (۹۸%). Based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) results and using constant returns to scale (CRS), ۹۲۳۳ MJ ha-۱ of energy could be saved, means that applying DEA can mitigate energy consumption up to ۱۲.۶% in apple orchards. Also after optimization of energy flow in orchards, energy ratio and energy productivity were improved as ۱۲.۷۶% and ۱۴%, respectively.

Apple, Cumulative Energy Demand, Data Envelopment Analysis, Energy Indices