Life Cycle Inventory of the Italian citrus fruit supply chain: Modelling the agricultural phase inventory through statistical data processing

In the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, the main data resources are represented by commercial databases, which scarcely describe Italian production realities. Given the importance of the LCA methodology for assessing the environmental impacts generated by agricultural processes, the creation of a regionalised and site-specific inventory for Italian agri-food production, which includes all life cycle phases of the main national agri-food chains, is a relevant tool to support the ecological transition towards development models based on the circular economy. This paper is part of the research activities of a project aimed to develop an Italian Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database of agri-food products and is aimed to propose an approach for the collection of inventory data based on secondary sources specific to Italian agricultural production. In particular, this contribution reports the first results of modelling the national citrus fruit supply chain by using an integrated approach of data processed from statistical sources, regional production specifications and technical-professional manuals. Inputs about macronutrients, determined through an adjustment of the standard doses in normality situations reported within the Agronomic Technical Guides, are on average 7.30 kg of nitrogen, 3.58 kg of Phosphorous and 5.58 kg of potassium per ton of oranges production. The active ingredients most used in cultivation are Pyriproxyfen, Phosmet, Azadirachtin and Mineral Oils for the control of the principal pest insects and mites, while the recurring use of cupric products and Mancozeb is strictly linked to the control of fungal diseases. The analysis resulted in 47 process sheets for the cultivation of orange, lemon, mandarin, clementine, and minor citrus fruits.