Agroforestry Systems最新文献

In arid and semi-arid regions of China, effective irrigation management and agronomic strategies are essential for enhancing the soil water environment and optimizing water productivity. A three-year (2020–2022) field experiment was conducted in the Ningxia Water Saving Agriculture Science and Technology Park, a semi-arid region in northwest China, to assess the impact of planting patterns, watermelon irrigation quotas and their interaction on soil moisture status, yield and quality. The experiment encompassed: (1) two planting patterns: Apple-watermelon agroforestry and watermelon sole-cropping; and (2) three irrigation quotas (W1: 105 mm, W2: 210 mm, and W3: 315 mm). As the years progress, there is a decreasing trend in the average soil water content (SWC) of the 0–100 cm soil layer within the agroforestry system. During the flowering and fruit setting stage and expansion stage in 2022, the soil water content (SWC) in the agroforestry planting pattern is significantly lower than that in the watermelon sole-cropping pattern. Within the agroforestry planting pattern, the W1 and W2 irrigation quotas increase the average fruit weight, soluble solids content, and sugar content but reduce watermelon yield. The interaction between the W3 irrigation quota and agroforestry planting pattern promotes leaf photosynthesis, and extends the watermelon fruit expansion stage and maturity stage to compensate for the decrease in yield.

In summary, the agroforestry planting pattern improves the quality of watermelon fruit, increases soil water utilization, and reduces yield. For those seeking sustainable solutions to enhance land productivity and water use efficiency, apple-watermelon agroforestry emerges as a more promising alternative.

This study analyzed adoption of agroforestry technologies in the central highlands of Ethiopia. A binary logistic regression model was used based on a survey of 96 adopters and non-adopter farmers. The results showed that all the farmers had a positive perception of agroforestry technology and that farmland boundaries were the most widely adopted agroforestry technology (81%), followed by farmland tree planting (71%). Alley cropping was the least preferred agroforestry technology by farmers (11%), followed by garden agroforestry technology (37%). Agroforestry was perceived as a major contributor to various products and improved soil fertility by 29% and 28%, respectively, of the farmers. Family size and customary rules are significant determinants of agroforestry technology adoption (p < 0.01). Access to extension services was also significantly correlated with the adoption of agroforestry technology (p < 0.05). Adoption of agroforestry technologies is important to address the continuous depletion of forest resources and improve the livelihood of farmers. The potential influence of these determinant factors should be taken into account when identifying suitable agroforestry technologies.

Abstract

This study explores the resilience and damage dynamics of agroforests, a critically important yet understudied agroecological system, in the aftermath of Category-5 Cyclone Winston in Fiji. As agroforestry gains prominence globally as a versatile production system able to support agrobiodiversity and food security for climate resilience, understanding the characteristics that contribute to its resistance and resilience to disturbance becomes increasingly important. Here we examine the effects of individual and species-specific traits, and management (planted and fallow vs forest areas) on the probability of tree stem survival and damage, and discuss the resistant and resilient qualities of trees and management actions in these systems. We found that the probability of post-cyclone survival increased as a function of wood density, irrespective of management type. Damage severity increased with tree size (diameter at breast height). Some of the species with the highest wood density were native trees, emphasizing the role of native species in agroforests, and the value of agroforests to conservation. Overall, agroforest trees experienced relatively low stem mortality (12.2%), suggesting that these agroforests may resist extreme disturbances despite their potential vulnerabilities such as landscape edge effects and altered species compositions. Our study provides insight into the potential of agroforests as resilient agroecological systems capable of withstanding escalating cyclone intensities, and the role of effective management strategies for fostering resilience amid a rapidly changing climate.

Litter decomposition and livestock excreta are two important sources for replenishing nutrients in the soil of the pastures, and their decomposition rates are affected by their quality, management practices, forage productivity, and biotic and abiotic factors. The objective of this research was to assess the effects of escalating levels of N fertilization (0, 100, 200, and 400 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) on litter and fecal decomposition in an agroforestry system comprising palisadegrass [Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) Stapf. cv. Marandu] intercropped with hybrid eucalyptus trees [Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus tereticornis], in a two-year field trial. The experiment was set in a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three repetitions. Litter (0, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256 days) and cattle excrement samples (0, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 days) were incubated on the ground. For forage litter samples, the interaction between N fertilization × year was observed for the decomposition rate (k) of DM (P = 0.0014) and OM (P = 0.0094). The greatest litter OM disappearance was observed at 400 kg N fertilization ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (651 g kg⁻¹ DM at 256 days). The interaction between nitrogen fertilizer rate × incubation time, or the isolated effect of the treatment was not observed on fecal decomposition (P > 0.05). Higher levels of N fertilization associated with the rainy period resulted in faster decomposition of palisadegrass litter, however, it did not show to have a strong influence on the excreta decomposition in this agroforestry system.

Abstract

Agroforestry, the integration of trees, crops, and animals, is expected to increase environmental sustainability of fruit production compared to traditional orchards. Virtual experiments with models would allow the performance and sustainability of these systems to be evaluated in a range of pedoclimatic and management scenarios, taking into account the interactions of fruit trees with crops. The models should represent tree and crop growth in 3D, run simulations over the whole life cycle of the orchard, and account for management practices that influence tree-crop interactions. We reviewed existing fruit tree and agroforestry models and have proposed a decision tree to guide future modellers in choosing a model that meets their simulation objectives. None of the reviewed models met all requirements, but we identified improvements that could be made to two existing models to accurately simulate temperate fruit tree based agroforestry systems.

The aim of this study was to analyse the structure and diversity of coffee agroforestry systems, with an emphasis on the spatial dynamics of land use in the different coffee production basins and agro-ecological zones and their associated determinants in Cameroon. Satellite image data, field inventories in eighty-one (81) 40 × 40 m plots, as well as surveys of 240 producers, were conducted. The results showed that the largest conversions and changes in land use occurred during the period 2001–2019, with a reduction in agroforestry and forest cover and an expansion in the area covered by other crops. In total, 49 woody species divided into 24 families, were inventoried in the coffee agroforestry systems. The importance value index reveals that Elaeis guineensis (28.5%), Dacryodes edulis (25.9%), Persea americana (17.5%), Leuceana leucocephala (15.8%), and Mangifera indica (12.4%) were the most important. The diversity indices show that the systems in the forest zones (Mungo and Haut-Nyong) were more diversified than those in the humid highland savannah (Noun); however, the density of woody plants is higher. The diametric structure of coffee trees, characterized by the limited presence of young coffee trees, reflects the low level of renewal in the coffee agroforests in all the production basins, where some farmers replace dead or unproductive coffee trees with other crops, such as Theobroma cacao, Elaeis guineensis, Musa spp. and fruit trees. This is due to a number of constraints faced by the producers, and the analysis indicated that the main variables that significantly predicted the susceptibility of the farmers to adopt an intervention strategy of preservation or conversion of the agroforestry system were farm size and farm age. Taking these variables into consideration is necessary for decision-making and for the development of coffee agroforestry systems in similar contexts.

Given the importance of agroforestry systems (AFS) in mitigating the impact of agriculture on the ecosystems and environment, it is critical to understand the effect of plant species richness in diverse tropical AFS on their soil properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of different AFS in the conservation of plant species richness, and their effect on soil physical and chemical properties. We compared plant species richness and soil properties among six AFS by sampling 63 plots in the humid tropics. Sampled AFS include: (1) home garden (HG), (2) shade trees in plantation (ShTP), (3) live fences (LF), (4) scattered trees in paddocks (ScTP), (5) grazing under plantation (GP), and (6) slash and burn agriculture (SBA). The vegetation community in each plot was recorded by scientific name and species richness was calculated. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 10 and 10 to 20 cm depth and analyzed for pH, organic matter (OM), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and texture. The highest plant species richness was found in HG (125), ShTP (121), and ScTP (89), followed by GP (56), LF (35), and SBA (4). This richness of plant species influenced the soil N (r = 0.514, P = 0.028), P (r = 0.480, P = 0.514), and OM contents (r = 0.439, P = 0.067), as well as CEC (r = 0.402, P = 0.097), EC (r = 0.153, P = 0.543), and pH (r = 0.363, P = 0.115). The highest values of pH (6.6) and P (8.14 mg kg⁻¹) were observed in the species richest AFS, and the highest OM (10.8%), N (0.49%), and EC (0.26 µs/cm) were found in the SBA system that has been converted recently from forests. In the SBA, the high values of pH, OM, N, EC, and CEC were result of cutting and burning of plant biomass during the land-clearing process. It is concluded that AFS harbor a great diversity of plant species and can improve soil fertility, which is essential for developing sustainable agroecosystems. Further research is required to understand the effect of variation in AFS age on the overall soil health indicators.

The tree-based farming system is one of the finest options for crop diversification, ecological stabilisation and economic upliftment in the Indian Himalayan regions. Keeping this scenario in mind, an on-field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of Populus deltoides ‘G-48’ tree spacings (S₁:6 m × 4 m, S₂:4 m × 4 m) with open-field condition (S₀) and different nutrient sources [T₁:Control; T₂:100% RDN (recommended dose of nitrogen); T₃:75% RDN + 25% FYM (farmyard manure); T₄:50% RDN + 50% FYM; T₅:25% RDN + 75% FYM; T₆:100% FYM; T₇:100% Vermicompost); T₈:Jeevamrut (10%), each replicated thrice] on agronomic performance of Curcuma longa at Solan, India during 2019–2021. The results revealed that C. longa grown under tree spacing S₁ coupled with the application of T₃ treatment showed marked enhancement in growth, quality attributes of C. longa and post-harvest soil nutrient status whereas, yield attributes were better in S₀. The yield of C. longa was curtailed by 22.5 and 31.6%, whereas curcumin content was enhanced by 13.4% and 12.2% under S₁ and S₂, respectively over S₀. The vegetation carbon density (66.38 Mg ha⁻¹), total ecosystem carbon density (119.04 Mg ha⁻¹), and total carbon sequestered (436.47 Mg ha⁻¹) was found to be higher under S₁, whereas soil carbon density (55.68 Mg ha⁻¹) was maximum under S₂ being at par with S₁. Maximum net returns (14,693 US$ ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) were realised under S₁ tree spacing and T₃ treatment. Overall, the study concluded that in P. deltoids–C. longa system, application of 75% RDN + 25% FYM at 6 m × 4 m spacing of poplar have demonstrated efficacy in getting a better quality of turmeric, maintaining soil fertility, and combating climate change.

The biomass yield and the crude protein (CP) content of temperate agroforestry-grassland were compared with that of a treeless control between 2017 and 2021. The single factor cropping system did not determine differences in yield nor CP content, while significant interactions with other studied factors occurred. At 1 m from the field edge, grassland yield was significantly lower in both the agroforestry system and the treeless control than at the other distances studied (4, 7, and 24 m). Overall, grassland yields were similar in agroforestry and control. The CP results were inconclusive. The highest, although not significant, CP levels were found in the agroforestry variant 1 m distance from the tree strip. Our study shows that due to edge effects on biomass yields, which may also occur in the treeless control, sampling of identical distances in agroforestry and control are necessary.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil organic carbon stock and litter mass in silvopastoral systems (SSP) implemented with Urochloa decumbens and different Eucalyptus spatial arrangements. The SSP was implemented in 2008 with the spatial arrangements of (3 × 2) + 20 m (434 trees ha⁻¹), (2 × 2) + 9 m (909 trees ha⁻¹) and 9 × 2 m (556 trees ha⁻¹) formed by the Eucalyptus cultivars GG100, I144 and VM 58. Soil samples at 0 to 20 and 0 to 40 cm depths were collected in SSP in 2011 and 2015 to determine soil organic carbon stock. The soil organic carbon stock was 38.5% higher in 2015 compared to 2011 (111 vs. 80.7 Mg ha⁻¹), which represented an annual sink of 6.22 Mg ha⁻¹ and indicates an increase in carbon stock over years. Litter mass was greater under the canopy than between trees, probably due to the greater drop in biomass in this location. The silvopastoral systems showed similar volumes of litter and soil organic carbon, which indicates that the evaluated arrangements have similar capacities to store carbon.