An assessment of energy modeling and input costs for greenhouse button mushroom production in Iran

This paper studies the energy balance between the input and the output per unit area for button mushroom production in Isfahan province of Iran. Data were obtained from 22 greenhouse button mushroom growers using a face to face questionnaire method. Sensitivity analysis of energy and cost inputs was carried out using the marginal physical productivity (MPP) technique. The results revealed that the total input and output energy use was to be 901 and 25.4 MJ m−2, respectively. The highest share of energy consumption belongs to compost (49%) followed by diesel fuel (45%). Energy use efficiency, specific energy, net energy and energy intensiveness of greenhouse button mushroom production were 0.03, 59.5 MJ kg−1, –875 MJ m−2 and 36.1 MJ $−1, respectively. Econometric model evaluation showed that the impact of compost and human labor energy inputs were significantly positive on yield. The sensitivity analysis of energy inputs indicated that among the inputs, human labor has the highest MPP value of energy inputs. Cost analysis revealed that total cost of button mushroom production was obtained as 24.9 $ m−2. Accordingly, the benefit–cost ratio and productivity were obtained as 1.15 and 0.62 kg $−1, respectively. It is suggested that new heating system with high thermal efficiency are to be used, in order to improve the greenhouse environment as well as reduction of diesel fuel consumption.