Life cycle inventory assessment of carrot crops in France

The program AGRIBALYSE^® was launched in 2010 by the French environment and energy management Agency (ADEME) to develop a public life cycle inventory database for French agricultural products. Carrot crop was studied at farm gate according to the main growing systems used in the two major production areas (Aquitaine and Lower Normandy). The results obtained for carrot crops are presented and discussed, with a focus on four impact indicators: energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, acidification and eutrophication. The most impacting practices are the use of N fertilizers, soil fumigation and mechanization. These results represent a step forward to help growers to improve their production systems.