Faidherbia (Faidherbia albida), previously known as Acacia albida, is a leguminous woody tree widely distributed throughout Africa and the Middle East. This species plays a critical role in both crop and animal production systems, and because of its unique phenology, it is considered an ideal agroforestry species in Africa. Although the effects of Faidherbia on soil properties and crop yields have been the subject of several decades of research, there is still a dearth of information on the sustainability of Faidherbia-based traditional and new agroforestry practices. In this review, we applied the sustainable intensification (SI) framework to provide an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for sustainability of Faidherbia-based agroforestry in sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis of SI indicators suggests the sustainability of Faidherbia-based agroforestry systems in terms of productivity, human well-being and economic and environmental sustainability. Maize and sorghum productivity were increased by 150 and 73% under the canopy compared to the open area, respectively. In 96% of the cases, soil organic carbon was found to increases under the canopy relative to the open area. The tree adds significant amounts of nutrients to soil, thus improving the growing conditions for crops.

Sustainability of Faidherbia albida-Based Agroforestry in Crop Production and Maintaining Soil Health

A woody plant functional trait that directly affects its fitness and environment is decisive to ensure the success of an Agroforestry practice. Hence, recognizing the woody plant functional traits is very important to boost and sustain the productivity of the system when different plants are sharing common resources, like in Agroforestry system. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to understand how woody plant functional traits contribute to sustainable soil management in Agroforestry system and to give the way forward in the case of Ethiopia. The contribution of woody plant species in improving soil fertility and controlling soil erosion is attributed by litter accumulation rate and the season, decomposability and nutrient content of the litter, root physical and chemical trait, and spread canopy structure functional trait. However, spread canopy structure functional trait is used in coffee based Agroforestry system, while with management in Parkland Agro forestry System. Woody species of Agroforestry system added a significant amount of soil TN, OC, Av.P, K, Na, Ca, and Mg nutrients to the soil. Woody plant species of Agroforestry system and their functional traits are very important to ensure sustainable soil management. Thus, further investigation of the woody plant functional traits especially the compatibility of trees with cops is needed to fully utilize the potential of woody species for sustainable soil management practice.

The Role of Woody Plant Functional Traits for Sustainable Soil Management in the Agroforestry System of Ethiopia

An understanding of the nature of tree and crop interactions should provide an important step for improving and designing new agroforestry systems. This study was intended to investigate the effect of Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile), which is a common deciduous tree grown scattered on the fields of midland northwestern Ethiopia on wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) yield and yield components. The experiment was laid out in factorial arrangements with a randomized complete block design. Four blocks having four trees each were selected with the set of predetermined criteria. Data were collected from the four positions centering at the tree trunk. At each tree, plots of 1m x 1m centered at each radial distance (at 1.5m, 3m, 6m and 15m) from the tree trunk were laid and measurements on crop yield and yield attributing components were taken. Consequently, grain yield ( p<0.005 ) and yield attributing characteristics such as effective tiller number ( p<0.005 ), filled grain per spike, thousand seed weight ( p<0.01 ), and harvest index p < 0.01 were significantly affected by the radial distances from the tree trunk. Effective tiller number , thousand seed weight , seed number per spike , and grain yield at 1.5m were found to be significantly lower compared to what is found at 6.0 and 15.0m distance from the tree trunk. However , yield components such as plant height, seed number per spike, and total biomass yield were not significantly affected due to the distance of wheat planting from the Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile) . Triticum aestivum does perform well near the edge and outside the canopy up to a six-meter distance. It was also observed that the grain yield had a significant and positive association with effective tiller number (R 2 =0.8**), plant height (R 2 =0.51*), seed number per spike (R 2 =0.54**), and total biomass yield (R 2 =0.52*). These implied that a deliberate integration and intensive management of Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile) tree and wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) in the agricultural system is vital for obtaining the desired optimum benefit from the practice. Therefore, the integration of croton macrostachyus with wheat in parkland agroforestry should be promoted with effective tree crown management to reduce crop shading, particularly near the tree where the shading effect is high. 

Croton macrostachyus (Hochst. ex Delile) and Triticum aestivum yield interface in a parkland Agroforestry system

A woody plant functional trait that directly affects its fitness and environment is decisive to ensure the success of an Agroforestry practice. Hence, recognizing the woody plant functional traits is very important to boost and sustain the productivity of the system when different plants are sharing common resources, like in Agroforestry system. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to understand how woody plant functional traits contribute to sustainable soil management in Agroforestry system and to give the way forward in the case of Ethiopia. The contribution of woody plant species in improving soil fertility and controlling soil erosion is attributed by litter accumulation rate and the season, decomposability and nutrient content of the litter, root physical and chemical trait, and spread canopy structure functional trait. However, spread canopy structure functional trait is used in coffee based Agroforestry system, while with management in Parkland Agro forestry System. Woody species of Agroforestry system added a significant amount of soil TN, OC, Av.P, K, Na, Ca, and Mg nutrients to the soil. Woody plant species of Agroforestry system and their functional traits are very important to ensure sustainable soil management. Thus, further investigation of the woody plant functional traits especially the compatibility of trees with cops is needed to fully utilize the potential of woody species for sustainable soil management practice. 

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Faidherbiaalbida and Acatiatortilis on the grain yield and above ground biomass of wheat Parkland agroforestry system is, type of agroforestry where trees are deliberately retained on the crop land to improve soil fertility Farm land of the study area is characterized by parkland agroforestry system Farmers have different idea about the trees retained on their farm, some of them think that, these trees can help us for farm tools and fencing material while; others retained trees on the crop land for the purpose of fertility substitution Therefore, the study was conducted to identify the effect of both trees on wheat growth The study was conducted in central rift valley of Ethiopia, Oromia regional state, East shoa, at Langano and Tukakebeles in farm fields of Bora District where, both trees aretraditionally retained on the farm At each site, four F albida and four Atortilis trees were purposively selected and wheat sample collected from four directions at three distances (135, 335 and 2635 m) from tree trunk for both gain yield and above ground bio mass Collected data was analyzed by two way ANOVA and mean separation with LSD (%) The Highest values of wheat grain yield were 7333 and 6885 kg ha-1 under F albida and Atortilis respectively at the distance of 135 m away from the6yuh tree trunks at Tuka location and these values decreased to 5536 and 6736 kg ha-1 under F albida and Atortilis respectively, at the distance of 2635 m away from the tree trunks The mean biomass recorded at three different distances from the two tree trunks, were not differently significant statistically (p >005) In general, the result of analysis indicated that, decreasing pattern of mean biomass as distance from tree trunk increases, for both Faidherbiaalbida and Acacia tortilis The research finding showed that trees have positive relation with grain yield and above ground biomass of wheat So, farmer’s knowledge improvement and further research regarding tree age class should be conducted for improvement of this agroforestry system

/pdf/wheat-yields-under-the-canopies-of-faidherbiaalbida-delile-a-53krqtx7jk.pdf

Wheat Yields Under the Canopies of Faidherbiaalbida (Delile) A. Chev and Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayenin Park Land Agroforestry System in Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia

Komicha Negeyo Desta

Papers

Wheat Yields Under the Canopies of Faidherbiaalbida (Delile) A. Chev and Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayenin Park Land Agroforestry System in Central Rift Valley, Ethiopia