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Sammanfattning

Sloping lands are crucial for global food security but are increasingly degraded due to unsustainable farming practices. Agroforestry (AF) can offer a more sustainable solution to this problem. The overall aim of this thesis was to describe the distribution of key resources (light, water, nutrients) affecting crop performance in 3–6-year-old contour cropped and fruit tree-based AF systems on sloping land (15-35°) in Northwest, Vietnam, and to identify possibilities for enhanced complementarity of resource use. These AF systems include fruit trees, maize/coffee, and forage grass. The study also aimed to evaluate and propose system redesigns with incorporated understory legumes to improve resource use and enhance productivity. Slope significantly reduced incident light to crops downslope of the tree rows. Available soil water content (ASWC) increased more upslope than downslope of the grass strips after rainfall events. Differences along the slope were most evident during the dry season, when ASWC was lower in the zones with grass strips compared to other zones. Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N), and available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were lower in grass strips and crop zones below grass than in the tree row zone and in zones farther away from grass strips on both up- and downslope sides. The growth and yield of maize and coffee were significantly lower on the downslope than upslope of the tree rows. The effects of trees and grass on crops decreased as the distance between trees and crops increased. Integrating understory legumes into AF systems increased SOC and N in the soil but reduced P and K. Modelling simulations showed the potential of legume relay-cropping for resources optimisation and productivity improvement. This study concluded that practicing AF on sloping land influences resource distribution and crop productivity and discusses the way forward for optimising the use of light and water, and suitable nutrient managements strategies.

Nyckelord

coffee yield; competition; complementarity; light distribution; maize yield; resource optimization; sloping land; soil water; tree shade; fruktträdsjordbruk; komplementaritet; konkurrens; kaffeskörd; ljusdistribution; majsskörd; markvatten; resursoptimering; skuggning; sluttning

Publicerad i

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae
2025, nummer: 2025:29
Utgivare: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

SLU författare

UKÄ forskningsämne

Jordbruksvetenskap
Markvetenskap

Publikationens identifierare

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.54612/a.ei9jsh3sft
  • ISBN: 978-91-8046-464-2
  • eISBN: 978-91-8046-514-4

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/132969