Conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies of agricultural systems frequently utilize mass-based functional units, neglecting the consideration of product quality integration. This study aims to address this gap by integrating agronomic productivity, bioactive quality (pungency), and environmental footprint into a unified LCA framework for Rocoto chili cultivation. The study will employ primary high-fidelity experimental data for the LCA to ensure attributable comparisons between eight different cultivation scenarios. An attributional LCA was conducted between scenarios in accordance with ISO 14040-44 standards. A 2³ factorial design was employed to evaluate eight scenarios, combining low-tech greenhouse (LGT) /open-field cultivation, normal/stress irrigation, and biochar/conventional fertilization. The system boundaries followed a cradle-to-gate approach, encompassing seedling production through harvest. The primary inventory data were derived from a one-year controlled field experiment. The environmental impacts were assessed in SimaPro, with a functional unit based on a pungency of 70,000 SHU. The yield was measured at the time of harvest. The quantification of capsaicinoid content was performed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The findings of this study demonstrate that conventional LTG cultivation with standard irrigation techniques achieved the highest yield, measuring 22.19 tons per hectare, but a weaker pungency of 69,457 SHU. In contrast, the organic LTG system with biochar and conventional irrigation methods yielded fruits with the highest pungency (125,601 SHU) and a substantial yield of 16.80 tons per hectare. This system also exhibited the lowest environmental impact in five of six assessed categories, including climate change (0.092 kg CO₂ eq/FU). The utilization of biochar in these systems has been demonstrated to result in a consistent reduction of environmental loads. Conversely, open-field conditions have demonstrated a tendency to yield suboptimal outcomes, exhibiting reduced yields and pungency results when compared to LTG systems. This study establishes that the environmental sustainability of Rocoto cultivation is governed by system choice and nutrient management. The organic LTG system with biochar emerged as the best strategy, balancing high quality with reduced environmental footprint. Crucially, employing a pungency-based functional unit redefined environmental efficiency, demonstrating that prioritizing product quality transforms Life Cycle Assessments. This integrated approach provides a transformative framework for high-value crop production.
Salgado et al. (Thu,) studied this question.