Analysis of energy consumption in the maize fodder production system within the chosen Himalayan Tarai region

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) holds significant importance as a green fodder crop in India, playing a crucial role in animal husbandry. Conducting an energy audit for various resources in agricultural production is vital for resource management. This study aimed to determine the contribution of diverse energy sources during the zaid season maize production at the Instructional Dairy Farm (IDF) Nagla Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India. Human energy, machinery, diesel fuel, energy use efficiency, net energy, and energy productivity were assessed. The total input and output energy for maize fodder cultivation were 11466.57 MJha-1 and 753989.22 MJha-1, respectively. Energy use efficiency was 65.75 percent, net energy stood at 742522.65 MJha-1, and energy productivity was 3.65 kg MJ-1. Fertilizer energy consumption was 4389 MJ ha-1, comprising 3878.4 MJha-1 nitrogen and 510.6 MJha-1 phosphorus. Diesel fuel and human energy consumption were observed at 1903.16 MJ ha-1 and 747.5 MJ ha-1, respectively. Seed bed preparation energy consumption and green fodder crop harvesting consumption were determined as 2011.46 MJha-1 and 691.39 MJ ha-1, respectively.