Agronomic Potentials of Rarely Used Agroforestry Species for Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Exploratory Study

Despite significant evidence that green manures from agroforestry species can improve soil fertility, green biomasses from many agroforestry species have not been sufficiently explored. In this study, we determined the suitability of green manures of Tithonia diversifolia, Gliricidia sepium, and Senna spectabilis for smallholder agriculture in Africa. Field trials were established to compare them with mineral fertilizer. The results showed that green manures of the three species were of high quality based on their macronutrient compositions. The effect of the green manures (particularly Tithonia) on both the biomass and fruit yield of okro were comparable and in some cases greater than fertilizer treatments. Total yield response in Tithonia treatment was 61% and 20% greater than the control and fertilizer treatments, respectively. In addition, the okro plants recovered a greater percentage of the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) added as green manure compared to fertilizer-treated plots, which received the greatest N, P, and K inputs.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in tree-based intercropping systems: A review of their abundance and diversity

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important components of agroecosystems as they form symbiotic associations with the majority of agricultural crops. The mycorrhizal association is normally mutualistic and can provide a number of benefits to the host plant including increased nutrient uptake, improved water relations, and protection from pathogens. However, conventional agricultural practices have been shown to have a negative impact on the abundance and diversity of AM fungi. The use of more diverse and sustainable land use practices such as tree-based intercropping can have the potential to reduce the negative impact of agricultural practices on AM fungi. This paper reviews the literature to investigate the effect of temperate and tropical tree-based intercropping systems on the abundance and diversity of AM fungi. Evidence from these studies suggests that tree-based intercropping systems support a more abundant and diverse AM fungal community compared to conventionally managed systems. However, there are studies that observed zero or negative significant effects on the AM fungal community as a result of incorporating trees into agricultural systems. The variable effect of tree-based intercropping systems on AM fungi observed may be a function of the different cultivation techniques, climatic variation, or diverse tree-crop combinations used within the different tree-based intercropping systems. To further our understanding of AM fungal dynamics in tree-based intercropping systems, future research should focus on the influence of tree species with varying mycorrhizal associations and the functional role of common mycelial networks in these systems, while utilizing applicable molecular techniques.     

豫东黄河故道农林复合生态模式经济效益分析

以商丘市梁园区为例,对豫东黄河故道的农林复合生态模式进行了调查研究。结果表明在黄河故道发展农林复合生态系统可以为当地创造一定的经济与生态效益。根据研究地区的自然与社会环境条件,可以发展以下几种农林复合生态模式:①林农复合生态模式,在幼龄林中种植小麦、油菜等喜光作物;②林药复合生态模式,树龄达到4年以后在林下种植耐阴的药用植物;③林牧复合生态模式,林冠完全郁闭之后在林下养鸡等。     

杨农间作田的光强和土壤水分状况及其对农作物的影响

试验选择株行距３ｍ×２８ｍ,１０￣１１ａ的杨农间作田,研究其光强和土壤水分空间分布与农作物生长发育的关系。结果表明,间作田林冠下和林冠外的光强分别为全日照的３６．４％和７４．８％;行中为８０．２％,林冠下和林冠外的土壤含水率分别为行中的６２．６３％￣６７．７１％和８８．８８％￣７３．７３％,由于光照不足和水分胁迫,降低了作物的株高和叶面积,使花生和小麦的平均产量比对照田分别降低２２．３％和１９．９     

A short-term investigation of trace gas emissions following tillage and no-tillage of agroforestry residues in western Kenya

Improved-fallow agroforestry systems are increasingly being adopted in the humid tropics for soil fertility management. However, there is little information on trace gas emissions after residue application in these systems, or on the effect of tillage practice on emissions from tropical agricultural systems. Here, we report a short-term experiment in which the effects of tillage practice (no-tillage versus tillage to 15 cm depth) and residue quality on emissions of N₂O, CO₂ and CH₄ were determined in an improved-fallow agroforestry system in western Kenya. Emissions were increased following tillage of Tephrosia candida (2.1 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ kg N applied⁻¹; 759 kg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹; 30 g CH₄-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹) and Crotalaria paulina residues (2.8 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ kg N applied⁻¹; 967 kg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹; 146 g CH₄-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹) and were higher than from tillage of natural-fallow residues (1.0 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ kg N applied⁻¹; 432 kg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹; 14.7 g CH₄-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹) or from continuous maize cropping systems. Emissions from these fallow treatments were positively correlated with residue N content (r = 0.62–0.97; P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with residue lignin content (r = −0.56, N₂O; r = −0.92, CH₄; P < 0.05). No-tillage of surface applied Tephrosia residues lowered the total N₂O and CO₂ emitted over 99 days by 0.33 g N₂O-N ha⁻¹ kg N applied⁻¹ and 124 kg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ t C applied⁻¹, respectively; estimated to provide a reduction in global warming potential of 41 g CO₂ equivalents. However, emissions were increased from this treatment over the first 2 weeks. The responses to tillage practice and residue quality reported here need to be verified in longer term experiments before they can be used to suggest mitigation strategies appropriate for all three greenhouse gases.     

银杏混农林间作模式栽培技术研究

对银杏为主的混农林系统改良试验示范研究结果表明,银杏与低秆农作物间作平均高生长和粗生长值均高于单一种植的20％左右,银杏-烤烟模式生长最佳,其树种平均高生长和粗生长值分别比对照增加25％左右。     

林农复合生态系统评价指标体系探讨

本文以生态经济学理论和系统工程学原理为基础，建立了林农复合生态系统的结构评价，功能评价，效益评价的评价指标体系，并探讨了林农复合生态系统评价指标体系设置的原则和评价方法。     

Iterative increase of economic tree species in managed swidden-fallows of the Amazon

Fallow utilization schemes are becoming increasingly popular in agroforestry designs. However little attention has been given to the fate of valuable fallow plants after the end of the initial fallow cycle, and over successive fallow cycles on a regional or inter-fallow level. Evidence is presented here for the spontaneous long-term community enrichment of an area with valuable plants in a cyclic or iterative fashion, in the context of an existing fallow utilization scheme in the Amazon. Review of the ecological processes which operate at microsite, field and community levels indicate that:

The tree planting and protecting culture of cattle ranchers and small-scale agriculturalists in rural Panama: Opportunities for reforestation and land restoration

To examine the opportunities available for designing diverse tree planting and land restoration initiatives in agricultural landscapes that contain tropical dry forests, the tree planting and protecting practices of cattle ranchers and small-scale agriculturalists were examined in two study sites in rural Panama. Ninety-nine tree species were identified that they utilize, plant, or protect on their land, the majority of which are native to Panama. The farmers had diverse reasons for maintaining trees, including improving the environment, providing food and shade for cattle, and generating a source of wood for construction, furniture, and firewood. Most of the trees mentioned in the study provide multiple uses and values and the majority of farmers wanted to plant additional trees. Some differences in species preferences and motivations for planting and protecting trees were seen between sites, thereby suggesting that land restoration and tree planting projects should be site specific. Our data indicate that there are ample opportunities to increase native tree cover in our study sites and highlight the need to incorporate farmer input into project design, implementation, and evaluation as a necessary and continuous feature throughout projects.     

辽西地区几种农林复合型水土保持林模式的研究

辽西地区属半干旱丘陵区 ,由于地势起伏 ,雨量集中 ,土壤粘重 ,植被稀疏 ,森林覆盖率低 ,成为我省水土流失比较严重地区。水土流失的结果是导致表土破坏 ,底土裸露 ,土壤理化性质明显恶化 ,土地生产力下降 ,增加了植被恢复的难度。为迅速改变辽西地区贫瘠落后的面貌 ,恢复生态系统平衡。建国以来 ,这一地区开展了大面积人工造林工作 ,据统计资料表明 ,以油松纯林为主的水保林面积达 5 3万ｈｍ2 ,这些林分对改善区域生态环境 ,推动国民经济及社会各项事业的发展起到了重要作用。但以大面积纯林为主的油松水土保持林存在树种单一、层次简单、…