Analysis of water stress index in flower production with a life cycle approach

This study was conducted during the 2017-2018 in Savojbolagh County of Alborz Province, Iran to determine the water stress index for one bush of Cineraria flower. Data were collected using face-to-face surveys from 30 greenhouses in Alborz province of Iran. In this study, the functional unit was one bush of Cineraria and the system boundary was included from seeding to flowering. The inputs used in Cineraria flower production were natural gas, diesel, human labor, chemical fertilizer, farmyard manure, chemicals, electricity, seed and irrigation. Water stress index for production one bush of Cineraria was obtained 4.92E-04 m3/bush that was caused by diesel, natural gas and irrigation. Therefore, it is recommended optimum use of diesel for heating and irrigation as well as the use of biofuels. Also water consumption in the life cycle of one bush of Cineraria had resulted in 5.35E-10 DALY/bush damage to human health, 7.92E-12 (species*year)/bush on the ecosystem quality and 1.91E-04 ($ surplus)/bush to resources.

Keywords:

Cineraria flower , Water footprint , Water resources , Water stress index