Environmental Performance of PHilMech Multi-Row Onion Seeder in Iloilo, Philippines

The environmental performance of planting bulb onion using the PHilMech multi-row onion seeder (MROS) was evaluated and compared with the traditional transplanting method in Iloilo Province, Philippines. Correspondingly, lower input energy was obtained when MROS was used as planting method at 27,168.06 MJ/ha compared to transplanting method at 30,678.46 MJ/ha due to the reduction of labor and diesel fuel during seedling production, pulling-up, and transplanting of seedlings. Non-renewable and indirect forms of energy had contributed most to the total input energy in both production systems where chemical fertilizer had the highest share followed by diesel fuel. A kilogram of onion produced had emitted 0.184 kgCO2eq for the system using MROS lower than 0.208 kg CO2eq accounted for the system using the transplanting method. The MROS can be an alternative planting technology that could ease the need for a large quantity of labor during onion planting. The MROS can provide the farmers with relatively bigger farm areas to schedule planting without worrying about the availability of labor and at the same time reduces environmental burdens by having lower input energy and CO2 emissions.