Contents Summary 1092 I Introduction 1093 II Investigating activity of AMF in agroecosystems 1093 III Crop benefit from AMF: agronomic and mycorrhizal literature differ 1094 IV Flawed methodology leads to benefits of mycorrhizas being overstated 1094 V Rigorous methodology suggests low colonisation by AMF can sometimes reduce crop yield 1095 VI Predicting when mycorrhizas matter for crop yield 1096 VII Crop genotype 1099 VIII Fungal genotype 1100 IX Complex interactions between the mycorrhizal fungal and soil microbial communities 1102 X Phosphorus-efficient agroecosystems 1102 XI Conclusions 1103 Acknowledgements 1104 References 1104 SUMMARY: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous in agroecosystems and often stated to be critical for crop yield and agroecosystem sustainability However, should farmers modify management to enhance the abundance and diversity of AMF? We address this question with a focus on field experiments that manipulated colonisation by indigenous AMF and report crop yield, or investigated community structure and diversity of AMF We find that the literature presents an overly optimistic view of the importance of AMF in crop yield due, in part, to flawed methodology in field experiments A small body of rigorous research only sometimes reports a positive impact of high colonisation on crop yield, even under phosphorus limitation We suggest that studies vary due to the interaction of environment and genotype (crop and mycorrhizal fungal) We also find that the literature can be overly pessimistic about the impact of some common agricultural practices on mycorrhizal fungal communities and that interactions between AMF and soil microbes are complex and poorly understood We provide a template for future field experiments and a list of research priorities, including phosphorus-efficient agroecosystems However, we conclude that management of AMF by farmers will not be warranted until benefits are demonstrated at the field scale under prescribed agronomic management

https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/nph.15308

Little evidence that farmers should consider abundance or diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi when managing crops.

Developing climate-smart agriculture to face climate variability in West Africa: challenges and lessons learnt

The role of legumes in the sustainable intensification of African smallholder agriculture: Lessons learnt and challenges for the future.

Background Pulses are an affordable source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and particularly proteins. These nutritious seeds greatly contribute to food security, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and environmental changes mitigation. Pulses are, indeed, a protein source with low carbon and water footprints. Interest in the use of pulses and their by-products in bread formulation has been mounting in recent years due to their high nutritional and functional values. Bread is one of the oldest and most consumed food worldwide, but it has an unbalanced amino-acids profile. Scope and approach This review aims to provide up-to-date information on the compositional and nutritional attributes of pulses as well as their impact on bread-making quality. Keeping in mind that forthcoming challenges should be overcome to formulate a high-quality bread based on pulses-wheat blends. Key findings and conclusions Fortifying bread with pulses will secure a better amino-acids profile and a higher protein intake favoring the ensurement of a balanced diet to a wide population with low environmental impact. Hence, pulses consumption is a necessity more than a choice for developing and developed countries with no exception.

Pulses for bread fortification: a necessity or a choice?

Intensive agriculture is based on the use of high-energy inputs and quality planting materials with assured irrigation, but it has failed to assure agricultural sustainability because of creation of ecological imbalance and degradation of natural resources. On the other hand, intercropping systems, also known as mixed cropping or polyculture, a traditional farming practice with diversified crop cultivation, uses comparatively low inputs and improves the quality of the agro-ecosystem. Intensification of crops can be done spatially and temporally by the adoption of the intercropping system targeting future need. Intercropping ensures multiple benefits like enhancement of yield, environmental security, production sustainability and greater ecosystem services. In intercropping, two or more crop species are grown concurrently as they coexist for a significant part of the crop cycle and interact among themselves and agro-ecosystems. Legumes as component crops in the intercropping system play versatile roles like biological N fixation and soil quality improvement, additional yield output including protein yield, and creation of functional diversity. But growing two or more crops together requires additional care and management for the creation of less competition among the crop species and efficient utilization of natural resources. Research evidence showed beneficial impacts of a properly managed intercropping system in terms of resource utilization and combined yield of crops grown with low-input use. The review highlights the principles and management of an intercropping system and its benefits and usefulness as a low-input agriculture for food and environmental security.

Michael Kermah

Papers

Maize-grain legume intercropping for enhanced resource use efficiency and crop productivity in the Guinea savanna of northern Ghana.