scholarly journals Farmers’ perceptions towards agroforestry systems in Babanosa Area, West Kordofan State

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamal Eldin Mohammed Fadl ◽  
Ali Elamin Abdallah Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Acacia Senegal ◽  
Farm Land ◽  
Field Crops ◽  
Sclerocarya Birrea ◽  
Collection Data

This study was conducted in Eltemada, Boli and Umghoghai villages at Babanosa area in El-salam locality, South Kordofan State during 2012 and 2013. The objectives were to (1) identify and assess the most important agroforestry systems, (2) to investigate the main factors that affecting the sustainability of the systems, (3) to determine the important field crops that cultivated with trees and (4) to evaluate the effect of the agroforestry systems on the yield of the traditional field crops. For accomplishment of these study 80 questioners was designed and distributed in the selected villages. After the data collection data was analyzed by using descriptive statistic. The results showed that the most important agroforestry systems in the study area are parkland cropping system (58%), boundary planting (26%), wind-breaks (13%) and alley cropping (3%).The most important forest trees in the study area are Acacia senegal (32%), Ziziphus spina- christia (28%), Balanites aegeyptiaca (26%), Sclerocary birrea and Guera senegalensis (3%). The main field crops in the study area are groundnut (44%), sorghum (35%) and roselle (21%). The results showed that yield of groundnut and sorghum is higher under agroforestry systems compared with the mono-cropping system. The results showed that the majority of respondents (70%) prefer to cultivate field crops in agroforestry system, while (30%) prefer to cultivate the field crops in a mono-cropping system. The cultivation methods used in the study area include shifting cultivation (52%), mono-cropping (36%) and intercropping (12%).The majority of respondents (94%) showed that trees improve soil fertility in their farm land. The benefits from trees in farm land include improvement of soil properties (36%), protecting the farm land from wind erosion (28%), improvement of micro-climate (24%) and source of income which was indicated by (12%) of the respondents. The study recommended that modern agroforestry system such as improved fallow system and alley cropping should be introduced in the study area and multi-purpose trees such as Acacia senegal, Fedherbia albida and Sclerocarya birrea that improve soil fertility and diversify farmers income should be maintained. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v4i2.12633 International Journal of Environment Vol.4(2) 2015: 136-146

scholarly journals Net Energy Balance and Fuel Quality of an Alley Cropping System Combining Grassland and Willow: Results of the 2nd Rotation

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1272
Author(s):  
Ilze Dzene ◽  
Frank Hensgen ◽  
Rüdiger Graß ◽  
Michael Wachendorf
Keyword(s):  
Solid Fuel ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Biomass Conversion ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Energy Yield ◽  
Fuel Quality ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Energy Balances

With the central aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, agroforestry systems have become popular because they can provide biomass for bioenergy conversion and thus help replace fossil energy. This article compares the net energy balances of three biomass conversion techniques for an agroforestry system consisting of willows and two types of grassland biomass as well as separate stands of grassland and willow. The period of investigation was the second willow rotation (4–6 years after establishment). The biomass conversion techniques included combustion of hay (CH), integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass (IFBB), and anaerobic whole crop digestion (WCD). Compared to the first rotation (years 1–3), the net energy yield of the willow stands significantly increased. Nevertheless, the separate stand of willow had higher net energy yield than the agroforestry system. The IFBB technique led to an improvement in solid fuel quality through demineralization. CH and IFBB provided higher net energy yields than WCD.

scholarly journals Farmers’ Participation in Agroforestry System in Northwestern Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-265
Author(s):  
M. N. Danjuma ◽  
S. Mohammed ◽  
M. Z. Karkarna
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Home Garden ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Tree Seedling ◽  
Scattered Trees ◽  
The One

The aim of this study is to assess agroforestry practices in Northwestern Nigeria with a view to bringing to light some salient features of the system for maximising benefits and improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the study area. A total of one hundred and sixty six smallholder farmers were sampled using random technique from five hundred and fifty farmers’ listed by the contact forum in the study area. Questionnaire was administered to the one hundred and sixty six smallholder farmers with a view to examining the level of farmers’ participation in agroforestry in six villages namely Kabobi and Garki in Katsina State, Bulangu and Abonabo in Jigawa State, Bobo in Zamfara State and Gulma in Kebbi State. Interview was also conducted with ten farmers in Bulangu, Kabobi and Gulma to provide explanations on the limitation to acceptance of agroforestry innovations in the study area. Data collected with the questionnaire was analysed using simple percentage and frequency in order to measure dispersion among sampled farmers. Data collected from the interview was coded, transcribed and presented in textual form in the paper. Result of the study revealed that seven agroforestry systems (alley cropping, boarder line planting, scattered planting, woodlot, apiculture, orchard and home garden) were practiced in the area. Orchard and home garden were not practiced in Kabobi, the northern most of the villages. It also indicated farmers’ level of participation for the seven identified technologies as follows: Alley cropping (25.63%), boarder line planting (16.25%), scattered trees on farmland (36.25%), woodlot (1.25%), orchard (1.88%), apiculture (8.75%) and home gardens (10.00%). The key factors limiting acceptance of innovations include: l) lack of tree seedling (25.00%), land tenure issues (17.50%), long tree gestation period of indigenous species (50.63%) and insect attack (06.88%). This study recommended that farmers should be educated more on agroforestry technologies through mass media programmes and ICT.

scholarly journals Ecological services of agroforestry systems in selected upland farming communities in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Romnick Baliton ◽  
LEILA LANDICHO ◽  
Rowena Esperanza Cabahug ◽  
ROSELYN F. PAELMO ◽  
Kenneth Laruan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Stock ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Ecological Services ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Wiener Diversity Index ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract. Baliton RS, Landicho LD, Cabahug RED, Paelmo RF, Laruan KA, Rodriguez RS, Visco RG, Castillo AKA. 2020. Ecological services of agroforestry systems in selected upland farming communities in the Philippines. Biodiversitas 21: 707-717. A study was conducted in three selected upland farming communities in Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet and Quezon, Philippines to assess the ecological services of agroforestry systems. Results showed that alley cropping was the dominant agroforestry system in Nueva Vizcaya, while vegetable-based and coffee-based multistorey systems were found prevailing in Benguet and Quezon provinces. Agrobiodiversity assessment revealed that the values of Shannon-Wiener diversity index of agroforestry systems in the three study sites were considered to be low to moderate, ranging from 2.21 to 2.71. This validates that the number of individuals per species in the agroforestry landscape was not evenly distributed. The means of biomass in the three study sites, ranging from 106.22-127 tons ha-1, were higher than that of agroforestry systems (102.80 tons ha-1) in the Philippines. The agroforestry systems in Nueva Vizcaya had the largest carbon stock of 57.15 ton C ha-1, followed by Quezon 52.96 ton C ha-1 and Benguet 47.80 ton C ha-1. These results are comparable to the overall mean of carbon stock of tree plantations (59.0 ton C ha-1) and higher than that of agroforestry systems in the Philippines, i.e., 45.4 ton C ha-1. Therefore, this article argues that the different agroforestry systems provide ecological services in the upland farming communities in the Philippines.

Trees in Alley Cropping: Competitors or Soil Improvers?

1994 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy P. Haggar
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Humid Tropics ◽  
Substantial Evidence ◽  
Soil Improvers ◽  
Improved Design

Agroforestry has a high potential to sustain agricultural production in the humid tropics. One specific type of agroforestry, alley cropping, has received much attention as a means of producing staple food crops within an agroforestry system. There is now substantial evidence that alley cropping maintains soil fertility above levels found in pure annual cropping systems. Nevertheless, competition between the trees and crops can significantly reduce yields by the crop. A model is presented of how the balance between the improved soil fertility in alley cropping and competition from the trees determines the final crop performance. Better understanding of the factors that determine crop yield will enable improved design and management of alley cropping systems, and may allow alley cropping to become a more reliable means of improving crop production.

scholarly journals Impacts of Shade Trees on the Adjacent Cacao Rhizosphere in a Young Diversified Agroforestry System

Agronomy ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Schmidt ◽  
Alana Firl ◽  
Hamran Hamran ◽  
Nur Insana Imaniar ◽  
Taylor M. Crow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Shade Trees ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Shade Tree

Cacao agroforestry systems offer the potential to diversify farmer income sources, enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon, and deliver other important ecosystem services. To date, however, studies have emphasized field- and system-scale outcomes of shade tree integration, and potential impacts on the rhizosphere of adjacent cacao trees have not been fully characterized. Interactions at the root–soil interface are closely linked to plant health and productivity, making it important to understand how diverse shade tree species may affect soil fertility and microbial communities in the cacao rhizosphere. We assessed the impacts of neighboring shade tree presence and identity on cacao yields and physical, chemical, and biological components of the cacao rhizosphere in a recently established diversified agroforestry system in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Stepwise regression revealed surprising and strong impacts of microbial diversity and community composition on cacao yields and pod infection rates. The presence of neighboring shade trees increased nitrogen, phosphorus, and pH in the rhizosphere of nearby cacao trees without yield losses. Over a longer time horizon, these increases in rhizosphere soil fertility will likely increase cacao productivity and shape microbial communities, as regression models showed nitrogen and phosphorus in particular to be important predictors of cacao yields and microbiome diversity and composition. However, neither presence nor identity of shade trees directly affected microbial diversity, community composition, or field-scale distance-decay relationships at this early stage of establishment. These results highlight locally specific benefits of shade trees in this agroecological context and emphasize the rhizosphere as a key link in indirect impacts of shade trees on cacao health and productivity in diversified systems.

scholarly journals Agroforestry systems of Theobroma cacao L. affects soil and leaf litter quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-88
Author(s):  
Jorge Alberto Rangel Mendoza ◽  
Amanda Silva Parra
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Theobroma Cacao ◽  
Litter Quality ◽  
Acacia Mangium ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Tropical Zone ◽  
Leaf Litter Production

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Agroforestry systems (AFS) and non-AFS of Theobroma cacao L. on soil and leaf litter quality, during rainy (RS) and dry (DS) seasons in a tropical zone. The treatments were T. cacao crop (CC), Yopo forestry (Anadenanthera peregrina L.) Speg. (YF), Acacia forestry (Acacia mangium Willd.) (AF), Agroforestry system of T. cacao + Yopo forestry (CYF), Agroforestry system of T. cacao + Acacia forestry (CAF), arranged in random design in the field. Leaf litter production was highest in CC (0.79 and 0.73 ton.ha-1) during RS and DS, respectively. CC and AFS improved soil fertility, less Mg in CC; AFS leaf litter quality, CAF in DS and CYF in both seasons, less B and S in DS. AFS can be a solution in tropical zones to solve the problems of low soil fertility.

Transforming Malta Orchard into Agroforestry System with Different Crops for Improving Productivity, Profitability and Land Uses

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-125
Author(s):  
AK Das ◽  
MA Rahman ◽  
SR Saha ◽  
NS Sarmin ◽  
MA Hoque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Block Design ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Agroforestry System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Sole Cropping

Sustainable agricultural practices like agroforestry systems are being advocated to overcome various problems of farming. A young malta (Citrus sinensis) orchard (3 years old) was transformed into a fruit tree-based agroforestry system in which the performances of summer (okra and Indian spinach) and autumn (mungbean and kangkong) crops and year-round spices (ginger and turmeric) were evaluated following randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replication each and eventually compared between agroforestry systems and respective sole cropping (control) from March 2018 to February 2019 at BSMRAU field. The experimental results revealed that the yields of the associated crops deprived when grown at the closest row position from the bed of malta tree and spices. Yields of okra, Indian spinach, mungbean, kangkong, turmeric and ginger were reduced by 7.57, 6.52, 14.86, 13.26, 9.70 and 16.23%, respectively under agroforestry system as compared to control. However, malta yield was increased by 5.35% in agroforestry system than control trees. The findings also indicated that the crops in agroforestry system was less hindered by the shade effect of malta trees due to less dense canopy of young malta trees. In comparison to sole cropping system, the higher benefit-cost ratio (BCR) (2.93) and land equivalent ratio (LER) (2.83) were obtained in the studied agroforestry system that explicated higher system productivity and land uses. Notable improvement of total nitrogen and organic matter were obtained in the soil under agroforestry system. Therefore, malta-based agroforestry system can be a promising alternative to provide higher economic benefits, boosting food and nutritional security, improving soil nutrient status and utilization of land. Ann. Bangladesh Agric. (2020) 24(1) : 113-125

scholarly journals Biomass Performance and Competition Effects in an Established Temperate Agroforestry System of Willow and Grassland—Results of the 2nd Rotation

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1819
Author(s):  
Rüdiger Graß ◽  
Sarah Malec ◽  
Michael Wachendorf
Keyword(s):  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Pure Stand ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Temperate Agroforestry ◽  
Competition Effects ◽  
Border Areas

Agroforestry systems (AFSs) are promoted as environmentally friendly and climate-change-resilient cultivation systems with the potential of increasing ecosystem services. Especially under temperate climatic conditions, the implementation in agricultural practice is low so far, inter alia due to the lack of knowledge regarding longer-term effects of such systems. This study investigated biomass yields and crop development during the second rotation of an alley cropping system with willows (clone “Tordis” ((Salix schwerinii x S. viminalis) x S. vim.)) and grassland that was established in March 2011, as reported in a former study of the authors. Two grassland swards (white clover grass (Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L.) (CG) and a diversity mixture with 32 plant species (DIV)) were proven in an intensive (3/4 cuts per year) and extensive management system (two cuts per year). Total yield (sum of three years) of AFS increased substantially in the second rotation (year four to six after establishment of the AFS). This was particularly due to a fivefold increase in woody biomass. At the same time, yields of grassland biomass decreased slightly. Biomass of CG outperformed DIV, especially in the intensive managed systems with a dry matter (DM) yield of 18 t ha−1, compared to 12.6 t ha−1. However, AFS grassland yields were always lower than yields of reference areas with grassland in pure stand. Nevertheless, lower yields are probably caused by competition effects between woody crops and grassland. Grassland yields along transects across the grassland alleyways showed a strong decrease in the border areas in all treatments. Higher grassland yields in the alley center did not compensate yield reductions in border areas. Furthermore, the botanical composition of grassland was modified in border areas with reduced legume DM contribution and increases of both grasses and forbs. Thus, the width of grassland alleys with 9 m caused strong competition effects by the willows.

scholarly journals Impact of alley cropping system on soil fertility

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
Jannatul Ferdush ◽  
Md. Meftahul Karim ◽  
Iffat Jahan Noor ◽  
Sadia Afrin Sadia Afrin Ju ◽  
Tofayel Ahamed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Wheat Production

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of pruned materials of two hedgerow species on wheat production and soil nutrient changes at different nitrogen levels in the research farm of the Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMARU) during November 2012 to March 2013. The design of the experiment was split plot, where two multipurpose tree species (MPTS) namely Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala were arranged in main plots and five different doses of nitrogen (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 % of recommended dose) with pruned materials were distributed to sub plots. Alley widths of both tree species were 6.0 meter. There were also control plots where full dose of recommended nitrogen was applied but no pruned material (PM) was incorporated. The soil chemical properties in the alleys consisting of G. sepium and L. leucocephala responded differently. Positive changes in the soil fertility in terms of soil pH, organic C, total N, available P, available S and exchangeable Ca, Mg, K and CEC of the top soil layer were observed in alley cropping system. Pruned materials application substantially reduced the nitrogen requirement for wheat production and 50 % Nitrogen fertilizer could be saved through pruned materials application. Among the tree species G. sepium seemed to be superior over L. leucocephala in building soil health.    

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