In agricultural production, it is important to determine where input usage saving can be implemented by taking energy use into consideration and to analyze the greenhouse gas emissions of agricultural activities. This study has been conducted to review orange (Citrus sinensis L.) production in terms of energy balance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study was carried out during the 2015/2016 production season in Adana, a province in Turkey. Energy balance and GHG emissions have been defined by calculating the inputs and outputs of agricultural nature used in orange production. The findings of the study indicate that the distribution of energy inputs in orange production are 11,880 MJ ha⁻¹ (34.10%) of electricity, 10,079.75 MJ ha⁻¹ (28.93%) of chemical fertilizer energy, 7630 MJ ha⁻¹ (21.90%) of chemical energy, 3052 MJ ha⁻¹ (8.76%) of diesel fuel energy, 1348.91 MJ ha⁻¹ (3.87%) of human labor energy, 378 MJ ha⁻¹ (1.09%) of irrigation water energy, 351.22 MJ ha⁻¹ (1.01%) of machinery energy and 118.80 MJ ha⁻¹ (0.34%) of lime energy. In total, input energy (IE) in orange production has been calculated as 34,838.68 MJ ha⁻¹ and the output energy (OE) has been calculated as 95,000 MJ ha⁻¹. Energy use efficiency (EUE), specific energy (SE), energy productivity (EP) and net energy (NE) have been calculated as 2.73, 0.70 MJ kg⁻¹, 1.44 kg MJ⁻¹ and 60,161.32 MJ ha⁻¹, respectively. The total energy input in the production of oranges was divided into: 47.82% direct, 52.18% indirect, 4.96% from renewable sources and 95.04% from non-renewable sources. The GHG emissions figure for orange production was 3794.26 kg CO_2–eq ha⁻¹, with electricity having the greatest share, 1983.96 (52.29%); the GHG ratio was 0.08 kg CO_2–eq kg⁻¹. According to the results, the production of orange was considered to be profitable in terms of EUE.

Sustainable wastewater management is essential for conserving water resources and reducing environmental pollution. Traditional wastewater treatment methods primarily aim to purify water for reuse, yet they often involve high energy consumption, extensive chemical use, and loss of potentially recoverable resources, which pose sustainability challenges. With approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide currently lacking access to clean water—a number projected to exceed 3 billion by 2025—water scarcity has become an urgent issue. Traditional wastewater treatment processes handle around 330 billion cubic meters of water annually; however, they account for 3–4% of global energy consumption and produce 300 million tons of carbon emissions. This situation underscores the need for more sustainable treatment methods. Innovative wastewater treatment technologies have the potential to facilitate the reuse of approximately 50 billion cubic meters of water each year, helping to alleviate water scarcity. Additionally, energy recovery from these processes aims to achieve an annual energy savings of 20 TWh, in contrast to conventional treatment methods. This article examines recent advances in sustainable wastewater management technologies, specifically focusing on biological, physicochemical, and membrane-based processes. It discusses strategies for optimizing these processes to minimize environmental impact. Furthermore, innovative approaches, such as advanced oxidation processes and energy recovery, are explored for their potential to harness energy and recover nutrients from wastewater. The article concludes that implementing innovative strategies in sustainable wastewater management can significantly contribute to water conservation, energy savings, and a reduction in carbon footprint.

Liquid wastes are generated during production in the milk and cheese industries. During cheese production, whey emerges as a liquid product. Researchers define waste as raw material instead of waste alone. Hence, there is no doubt that the use and management of waste will gain greater importance in the upcoming years. This study discusses the use of whey, which is food waste, in agriculture and the benefits derived from it in terms of energy value. Our research was based on the current literature and the amount of whey that emerged in the dairy industry. For this purpose, the existing literature was evaluated to determine how much waste was produced from whey. The total amount of whey waste in Turkey for 2021 was determined. Afterwards, the amount of potential energy was determined in evaluating these wastes. Turkey’s total amount of potential energy obtained from whey waste was calculated as 570.11 × 10⁶ MJ, with 158.36 × 10⁶ kWh as potential electrical energy. Moreover, it was calculated that a total of 158.36 × 10⁶ kWh of electrical energy would meet the electrical energy of 688,548 families of four people for a month. It is also stated that this potential energy will be used in the field of equivalent electrical energy content and agriculture. It is a fact that cheese wastewater, rich in nutrients and organic matter, can be used in agriculture. Whey is used as animal feed in agricultural fertilization activities and the livestock sector. It has also been understood from the literature that it can also be used in biogas production. However, it should not be forgotten that whey released into rivers, water sources, or sewers threatens the environment due to its high protein content. Therefore, by increasing the number of similar studies on the subject, a wide range of wastes, such as whey, can be utilized in the most accurate manner. As a result, environmental protection, conservation of water resources, and energy conservation can be ensured by properly benefiting from whey waste. Considering that the world population will increase in the future, it is a fact that we will need a cleaner environment and more energy. It was concluded that greater importance should be given to waste management practices for a cleaner environment and energy saving.

The purpose of this research was to determine the water needs and results of drip irrigation of mid-early potato cultivar Courage. Studies were carried out in central Poland in 2011–2013 on very light soil. The experiment was designed as two-factorial trials with four replications. The first factor was drip irrigation: O = control (without irrigation), D = drip irrigation. The second factor was the nitrogen fertilization method: P = broadcasting, F = drip fertigation. Nitrogen fertilization was 120 kg N ha⁻¹ on each plot. Crop coefficients for irrigation period were 0.4 in June and 0.6 in July and August. According to calculations based on the crop coefficients and correction coefficients acc. Hargreaves^DA model the water requirement of potato for June–August was 202 mm. Drip irrigation increased the marketable tuber yield by 55%. Irrigation water use efficiency increased from 257 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ in D + P to 264 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ in D + F. The productivity of 1 kg of nitrogen fertilization was 189 kg ha⁻¹ in control non-irrigated plots and 321 kg ha⁻¹ in drip-irrigated plots, and it rose up to 337 kg ha⁻¹ when fertilization was applied by fertigation.

Most species of Cucurbitaceae respond favorably to irrigation, especially when combined with fertilizers. The effect of drip irrigation combined with nitrogen fertigation in melon grown on a very light soil in Central Poland, during 2013–2015, was evaluated. The field experimental design was a split-plot with four replications. Two factors were studied: (1) irrigation treatments applied in two combinations—drip irrigation + broadcast nitrogen fertilization (control), and drip irrigation + fertigation with nitrogen; (2) two cultivars—Melba and Seledyn. The total marketable yield of fruits, weight of a single fruit, and the concentration of dry matter, total sugars, monosaccharides, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, and polyphenols were evaluated. Tested factors presented a significant effect both on the yield and nutritive value characteristics. Drip irrigation combined with nitrogen fertigation, comparing to the control, notably improved yields and nutritional value of fruits. Seledyn produced better yields than Melba. This study shows that on very light soil, with low water and nutrient retention capacity, melon should be drip-irrigated and nitrogen-fertigated to obtain the best cultivation results.

The aim of this study was to verify the response of 13 American asparagus cultivars cultivated for green spear on surface postharvest drip irrigation. Irrigation, used to compensate for periodic deficiencies in precipitation, allows for high- and good-quality crops for many species. The field experiment was carried out in 2006–2008 on a very light sandy soil in central Europe (Poland). Irrigation treatments were applied using the tensiometer indications. Water requirements of asparagus were calculated on the base of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficients. The following evaluations were made: Height, diameter, and number of summer stalks, as well marketable yield, weight, and number of consumption green spears. Drip irrigation applied for 2 years (2006–2007) in the postharvest period had a positive effect on all studied traits in both summer stalks and green spears in 2007–2008. A significant increase in the height, number, and diameter of summer stalks, as well an increase in the marketable yield, weight, and number of green spears was observed for most of the cultivars. In general, postharvest drip irrigation of asparagus cultivated in very light sandy soil significantly contributes to the increase in productivity of American cultivars of this species.