A review on the quality of wood from agroforestry systems

Abstract

Agroforestry systems (AFS) are an established and well-documented practice with widely recognized economic, social, and ecosystem benefits. However, literature regarding their woody component analysis for wood products is still incipient. This study aimed to survey articles that report results on the quality of wood produced in agroforestry systems, identify existing knowledge gaps regarding the quality of wood from AFS and, with those results, guide new studies. A search on Scopus and Web of Science was conducted using terms related to agroforestry systems and wood quality. The findings were screened and analyzed, and the main data and wood characteristics of each fitting article were described. This review describes thirteen articles, comprising four countries (Brazil, Costa Rica, France, India and Portugal), and it discusses the properties and potential use of wood from twelve species: Castanea sativa, Cedrela odorata, Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus urophylla, Juglans nigra × regia, Khaya senegalensis, Parapiptadenia rigida, Peltophorum dubium, Populus deltoides × Populus tristris, Quercus robur, Quercus rotundifolia, Schizolobium parahyba and Tectona grandis. Most of the woods had superior or similar characteristics to monoculture ones, except for Tectona grandis. The geographic distribution of those studies is limited, with no studies from Africa and Oceania, and few authors publishing on this subject. Even though AFS is a traditional agricultural practice, few studies address the quality of the wood from this system. This study gathers existing information about the quality of wood produced in AFS, highlighting the knowledge gaps on this theme and indicating improvements for future work.