Dry-season sesbania fallows and their influence on nitrogen availability and maize yields in Malawi

Nitrogen deficiency is widespread in southern Africa, but inorganic fertilizers are often unaffordable for smallholder farmers. Short-duration leguminous fallows are one possible means of soil fertility restoration. We monitored preseason topsoil (0 to 20 cm) ammonium and nitrate, fallow biomass production and grain yields for three years in a relay cropping trial with sesbania [Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr.] and maize (Zea mays L.). Sesbania seedlings were interplanted with maize during maize sowing at 0, 7400 or 14,800 trees ha^–1, in factorial combination with inorganic N fertilizer at 0 or 48 kg N ha^–1 (half the recommended rate). After maize harvest, fallows were allowed to grow during the seven-month dry season, and were cleared before sowing the next maize crop. Both sesbania fallows and inorganic N fertilizer resulted in significantly greater (P < 0.01 to 0.05) preseason topsoil nitrate-N than following unfertilized sole maize. In plots receiving no fertilizer N, preseason topsoil inorganic N correlated with maize yield over all three seasons (r ² = 0.62, P < 0.001). Sesbania fallows gave significantly higher maize yields than unfertilized sole maize in two of three years (P < 0.01 to 0.05). Sesbania biomass yields were extremely variable, were not significantly related to sesbania planting density, and were inconsistently related to soil N fractions and maize yields. Short-duration fallows may offer modest yield increases under conditions where longer duration fallows are not possible. This gain must be considered against the loss of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) harvest in the similarly structured maize-pigeonpea intercrop common in the region.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

乌兰布和沙漠抗逆植物选择试验及利用

乌兰布和地区光，热，水，土资源丰富，在国家开发西北地区的大政策下，适合进行农，林，牧业开发，但是限于本地区干旱，少雨，风沙大的现状，开发要在以改善生态环境为目的的防护林建设的基础上进行，为本地区增选抗性强，生长快，见效快的灌木品种是当务之急，也是长远需要，本试验选取了干旱地区常见的8种沙旱生灌木进行造林实验，选择出最适于该地区生长的灌木品种主造林方式。     

新沂市农田林网杨树生物量的空间结构

本文采用分层切割法和壕沟全挖法对江苏省新沂市农田林网中，４年生主要的杨树无性系（Ｗ－４６杨，Ｉ－６９杨，ＮＬ－８０１０５杨和ＮＬ－８０２０５杨）的地上部分生物量以及根系生物量进行了测定和分析。结果表明，ＮＬ－８０２０５杨不仅平均单株的生物量最大，而且树干的形质优良。因此，在平原农田林网的经营中，选择ＮＬ－８０２０５杨，既可以提高营林的收益，又能够增强林网的防护效果。     

坡耕地退耕还林后的植被恢复

生态公益林建设是坡耕地恢复森林植被最重要的模式 ,但对退耕还林后的植被恢复特点和规律的研究却很少报道。本文选择在四川省退耕还林工程中普遍发展的桤木生态公益林为研究对象 ,对其植被恢复特点和规律进行了探讨。1　试验地概况选择坡耕地退耕还林后形成的桤木 (Alnuscremastogyne)生态林和弃耕 1年形成的杂草群落为研究对象。试验地位于四川西缘山地区的天全县境内 ,东经 10 2°4 5′ ,北纬 30°0 3′ ,海拔 80 0m ,坡度 2 6° ,坡向西北 ,坡位中部 ,母质为砂岩风化物 ,土壤类型为紫色土 ,属亚热带季风湿润气候区 ,年平均降雨量 1735 …     

Nutrient stocks of short-term fallows on a high base status soil in the humid tropics of Papua New Guinea

In order to understand nutrient dynamics in tropical farming systems with fallows, it is necessary to assess changes in nutrient stocks in plants, litter and soils. Nutrient stocks (soil, above ground biomass, litter) were assessed of one-year old fallows with Piper aduncum, Gliricidia sepium and Imperata cylindrica in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea. The experiment was conducted on a high base status soil (Typic Eutropepts), and in Papua New Guinea such soils are intensively used for agriculture. Soil samples were taken prior to fallow establisment and after one year when the fallows were slashed and above ground biomass and nutrients measured. The above ground and litter biomass of piper was 13.7 Mg dry matter ha^-1, compared to 23.3 Mg ha^-1 of gliricidia and 14.9 Mg ha^-1 of imperata. Gliricidia produced almost 7 Mg ha^-1 wood. Total above ground biomass returned to the soil when the fallows were slashed was the same for piper and gliricidia (8 Mg ha^-1). Gliricidia accumulated the largest amounts of all major nutrients except for K, which was highest in the above ground piper biomass. Imperata biomass contained the lowest amount of nutrients. The largest stocks of C, N, Ca and Mg were found in the soil, whereas the majority of P was found in the above ground biomass and litter. Almost half of the total K stock of piper and gliricidia was in the biomass. During the fallow period, soil organic C significantly increased under gliricidia fallow whereas no net changes occurred in piper and imperata fallows. The study has shown large differences in biomass and nutrient stocks between the two woody fallows (piper, gliricidia) and between the woody fallows and the non-woody fallow (imperata). Short-term woody fallows are to be preferred above grass (imperata) fallows in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea because of higher nutrient stocks.     

甘肃省退耕还林后续政策调查研究

在对甘肃省退耕还林工程整体实施情况及生态、经济和社会三大效益全面了解的基础上,通过对退耕区退耕农户退耕还林前后收入、粮食产量、劳动力转移等变化情况以及补助到期后退耕农户收入的可能变化等进行深入调查研究和分析,提出了完善退耕还林现行政策及制定补助到期后续政策的意见建议。     

云南省6县退耕还林农户收益分析及增收对策的案例研究

采取抽样调查的方式,对云南省6个地(市)退耕农户进行调研,对农户的林业收入状况、在退耕地所经营的林业项目以及退耕面积与收益等3方面进行深入剖析,认为农户的林业收入有高型、中高型、中等型、偏低型以及低下型5种类型.对退耕还林发展林业过程中面临的主要问题和促进当地林业发展、增加农户收入的对策进行了探讨.     

Productivity of intensified crop—fallow rotations in the Trenbath model

Management of crop—fallow rotations should strike a balance between exploitation, during cropping, and restoration of soil fertility during the fallow period. The Trenbath model describes build-up of soil fertility during a fallow period by two parameters (a maximum level and a half-recovery time) and decline during cropping as a simple proportion. The model can be used to predict potential crop production for a large number of management options consisting of length of cropping period and duration of fallow. In solving the equations, the model can be restricted to sustainable systems, where fallow length is sufficient to restore soil fertility to its value at the start of the previous cropping period. The model outcome suggests that the highest yields per unit of land can be obtained by starting a new cropping period after soil fertility has recovered to 50–60% of its maximum value. This prediction is virtually independent of the growth rate of the fallow vegetation. The nature of the fallow vegetation (natural regrowth, planted trees, or cover crops) mainly influences the crop yield by modifying the required duration of fallow periods. Intensification of land use by shortening fallow periods will initially increase returns per unit land at the likely costs of returns per unit labor. When fallows no longer restore soil fertility to 50% of the maximum, overall productivity will decline both per unit land and per unit labor, unless external inputs replace the soil fertility restoring functions of a fallow.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The T'OLCHE', a Maya system of communally managed forest belts: the causes and consequences of its disappearance

The T'OLCHE' is a protected forest belt about 10–20 m wide that runs through the Mayan landscape on the limits of the maize fields of the farmers. This study explores its traditional use and management and traces how it has changed in the last 30 years in the study village in Yucatán, Mexico. A major change is in its extent; little remains of the 10–20% of the area it occupied in the past. Two of the causes of this are identified as being a credit programme of the local bank and 1973 state legislation concerning cattle. The causes and consequences of this decline are discussed in relation with other farmer-perceived changes in overall landuse, including a fall in maize yields. The ecological roles of the T'OLCHE' are examined. It is argued that the T'OLCHE' plays an essential role in the regeneration of the fallow vegetation and in the maintenance of biological diversity. The case of the T'OLCHE' suggests the need for a diversified and politicized look on Common Property Resource Management.     

Fallow enrichment of a traditional slash/mulch system in southern Costa Rica: comparisons of biomass production and crop yield

The slash and mulch system of frijol tapado or covered bean is a pre-hispanic system of bean production found throughout much of Central America. However, land use pressures have forced farmers to shorten the traditional fallow period, thus resulting in decreasing productivity. A potential solution is to enrich the fallow by using leguminous nitrogen-fixing trees. The enriched fallow systems evaluated in this study include both single and mixed species treatments: 1) Erythrina poeppigiana; 2) Calliandra colothrysus; 3) Gliricidia sepium; 4) Inga edulis; 5) Inga edulis and Erythrina poeppigiana; 6) Inga edulis and Calliandra calothrysus; and 7) Inga edulis and Gliricidia sepium. Biomass production of the fallow vegetation is shown to be of greater quality and quantity in all fallow enrichment treatments. However, bean yields did not show a significant response to the fallow enrichment treatments.