Life Cycle Inventory for Safflower Production in Southern Europe

Abstract

Safflower is currently primarily cultivated as an industrial crop for its oil, which is used for food and industrial purposes, while the by-products can be used for animal feeding. Traditionally cultivated in the Mediterranean area, it was abandoned in the past for other oil crops, such as sunflower. However, it is now returning to be interesting due to its adaptability to low-input cultivation practices, especially when sown in autumn. The main aim of this study is to present a Life Cycle Inventory of safflower grown in a Southern European country, i.e. Italy, based on primary data on agricultural practices used in this country. The study was carried out following ISO 14040 and ISO 14044. Data were collected from experimental fields of the University of Perugia, to ensure a specific and accurate data collection for the definition of the complete supply chain. The reference unit of this study was defined as 1 ha. The stages from raw materials production to seed harvesting were considered. The data presented will be useful to increase the existing knowledge of safflower production in other Mediterranean countries.

Keywords

• agricultural practices
• bio-oil
• life cycle assessment
• oil crops
• sustainable production