Soil fertility and Theobroma cacao growth and productivity under commonly intercropped shade-tree species in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Wartenberg, Ariani C.; Blaser, Wilma J.; Roshetko, James M.; Noordwijk, Meine van; Six, Johan

doi:10.1007/s11104-018-03921-x

Cited by 50 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Here we demonstrated that several species of shade trees were able to improve contrasting aspects of soil fertility, without affecting cocoa yield. This result is in line with recent findings from Wartenberg et al (). The five shade tree species studied generally improved nutrient restitution from litter, through increased litterfall and litter quality over the year, as compared with cocoa alone, and had positive effects on a range of soil functions linked to soil fertility.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

“…Yet, this potential disservice is not always observed (Wartenberg, Blaser, Roshetko, Noordwijk, & Six, 2019), and may be reduced in low fertility systems (Isaac, Ulzen-Appiah, Timmer, & Quashie-Sam, 2007). These studies suggest that (a) in poor soils, soil fertility increase with shade tree introduction may compensate for their light interception effects on cocoa yield (Isaac, Ulzen-Appiah, et al, 2007), and that (b) these effects are expected to vary strongly with shade tree species (Wartenberg et al, 2019). In this context, testing whether differences among shade trees' functional traits can affect cocoa yield and soil fertility while providing goods for farmers is of high interest.…”

Section: Finer Characterization Of Plants Introduced Within Agroecosymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, shade trees can decrease cocoa growth and yield because of light interception (Sanchez, ). Yet, this potential disservice is not always observed (Wartenberg, Blaser, Roshetko, Noordwijk, & Six, ), and may be reduced in low fertility systems (Isaac, Ulzen‐Appiah, Timmer, & Quashie‐Sam, ). These studies suggest that (a) in poor soils, soil fertility increase with shade tree introduction may compensate for their light interception effects on cocoa yield (Isaac, Ulzen‐Appiah, et al, ), and that (b) these effects are expected to vary strongly with shade tree species (Wartenberg et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Shade tree effects on cocoa yield, nutritional status and soil fertility has been studied both at the community (Blaser, Oppong, Yeboah, & Six, ; Niether, Schneidewind, Fuchs, Schneider, & Armengot, ) and at the species level (Isaac, Timmer, & Quashie‐Sam, ; Wartenberg et al, ). Depending on the study, observed effects are explained by a variety of individual or community properties such as above‐ground biomass (Isaac, Timmer, et al, ; Niether et al, ; Wartenberg et al, ), leaf biomass nutrient concentration (Isaac, Timmer, et al, ; Wartenberg et al, ) or canopy architecture and/or cover (Blaser et al, ; Isaac, Timmer, et al, ; Wartenberg et al, ). Nonetheless, to our knowledge, there is no study considering the specific relationships between shade tree functional traits and agroecosystem functioning in cAFS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Cocoa agroforest multifunctionality and soil fertility explained by shade tree litter traits

Sauvadet

Saj

Freschet

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Manipulating plant functional diversity to improve agroecosystem multifunctionality is a central challenge of agricultural systems world‐wide. In cocoa agroforestry systems (cAFS), shade trees are used to supply many services to farmers, yet their impact on soil functioning and cocoa yields is likely to vary substantially among tree species. Here we compared the impact of five shade tree species (Canarium schweinfurthii (Canarium), Dacryodes edulis (Safou), Milicia excelsa (Iroko), Ceiba pentandra (Kapok tree), Albizia adianthifolia (Albizia)) and unshaded conditions on the functioning of poor sandy savanna soils within eight cocoa farms in Central Cameroon. We assessed the effects of plant functional traits, leaf litterfall and fine root biomass on a range of soil functions and on cocoa yield. Shade trees generally improved soil pH, NH4+, NO3- and Olsen P content, biomass production of bioassays and soil total C and N content, while leaving cocoa yields unchanged. However, these effects varied largely among species. Improvements of soil functions were low under the two fruit trees (Canarium and Dacryodes), medium under the legume tree Albizia and high under the two timber trees (Milicia and Ceiba). Low litter recalcitrance was most strongly associated with increases in soil fertility indicators such as N and P availability, whereas soil C and N content increased with litter Ca restitution. Synthesis and applications. We demonstrate that cocoa agroforest multifunctionality is substantially influenced by the functional traits of shade tree species. Shade tree species with the most dissimilar traits to cocoa (cocoa showing the lowest leaf litter quality) showed the largest improvement of soil functions. Therefore, selection of shade trees based on their functional traits appears as a promising practice to adequately manage soil functioning. In order to fully assess the beneficial role of shade trees in these agroecosystems. Future research will need to extend this approach to other below‐ground traits and other aspects of multifunctionality such as long‐term cocoa health and yield.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 94%

Section: Finer Characterization Of Plants Introduced Within Agroecosymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Cocoa agroforest multifunctionality and soil fertility explained by shade tree litter traits

Sauvadet

Saj

Freschet

et al. 2020

Journal of Applied Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…On-farm trees also increase efficiency through nutrient recycling and strengthen resilience by supporting the sustained provision of food and other key ecosystem functions and services (Prabhu et al 2015). Nevertheless, when aiming at multiple benefits through agroforestry there are inherent trade-offs to be considered as all benefits cannot be maximized at the same time, and adequate management practices play a fundamental role in reducing trade-offs between production and other ecosystem services (Wartenberg et al, 2019). For instance, recent studies in West Africa cocoa agroforests show that levels of shade-tree cover of 30% or lower are required to optimize the trade-offs between production, climate adaptation, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation goals (Blaser et al 2018).…”

Section: Biodiversity-nutrition-climate Change Nexusmentioning

confidence: 99%

The 10 Elements of Agroecology: enabling transitions towards sustainable agriculture and food systems through visual narratives

Barrios

Gemmill-Herren

Bicksler

et al. 2020

Ecosystems and People

164

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The magnitude and urgency of the challenges facing agriculture and food systems demand profound modifications in different aspects of human activity to achieve real transformative change and sustainability. Recognizing that the inherent complexity of achieving sustainability is commonly seen as a deterrent to decision-making, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has approved the 10 Elements of Agroecology as an analytical framework to support the design of differentiated paths for agriculture and food systems transformation, hence facilitating improved decision-making by policymakers, practitioners and other stakeholders in differing contexts at a range of levels on a number of scales. Biodiversity, consumers, education and governance are identified as promising entry points to build a structured process using visual narratives that rely on the 10 Elements of Agroecology to graphically dissect prospective social-ecological transition trajectories. We illustrate such applications with examples from agroforestry worldwide, public food procurement in Brazil and the United States of America, and agroecology education vis-à-vis secure access to land in Senegal. Nexus approaches are used to highlight and examine salient interactions among different sectors and entry points, and to develop visual narratives describing plausible theories of transformative change towards sustainable agriculture and food systems.

show abstract

Root architecture, root biomass and nutrient cycling in a mixed‐species agroforestry system

Bai,

Muqaddas,

Trueman

et al. 2023

Land Degrad Dev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding root development in soil profiles of agroforestry systems is challenging. It is uncertain to what extent the proximity of cash crops, such as cocoa and coffee, to shade trees reduces nutrient concentrations in the topsoil and whether the cash crops continue to develop fine roots in the topsoil when they are planted in close proximity to shade trees. We aimed to investigate micro‐ and macro‐nutrient concentrations in the soil profile and understand root architecture using a novel DNA metabarcoding approach in an agroforestry system where cocoa and coffee were interplanted with a shade tree, canarium. Soil and root samples were collected from (1) cocoa‐only, (2) cocoa‐canarium, (3) canarium‐only positions in a cocoa plantation, (4) coffee‐only, (5) coffee‐canarium and (6) canarium‐only positions in a coffee plantation. Proximity of shade trees did not limit nutrient concentrations for cash crops. Topsoil concentrations of total N (TN: 0.59% and 0.69%), phosphorus (P: 7.28 and 6.65 mg/kg), potassium (K: 360 and 755 mg/kg) and calcium (Ca: 1865 and 1044 mg/kg) under cocoa and coffee trees, respectively, did not differ significantly from those under the corresponding canarium trees. Soil TN, K and Ca concentrations were well above minimum required concentrations under both cocoa and coffee. DNA metabarcoding showed that canarium trees occupied deeper rooting zones (30–80 cm soil depth) than cocoa and coffee trees (0–30 cm soil depth). DNA metabarcoding demonstrated greater root colonisation of the topsoil by cocoa and coffee than canarium, suggesting that canarium had the potential to extract nutrients from deeper soil layers. Soil Ca concentrations were associated with cocoa root biomass whereas soil NO3−‐N concentrations were associated with coffee root biomass. Our study highlighted the value of selecting suitable shade trees that maintain soil nutrient concentrations for cash crops. Furthermore, DNA metabarcoding can facilitate root distribution studies in complex agroforestry systems, thus providing insights into appropriate tree‐planting designs.

show abstract

Soil fertility and Theobroma cacao growth and productivity under commonly intercropped shade-tree species in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Cited by 50 publications

References 64 publications

Cocoa agroforest multifunctionality and soil fertility explained by shade tree litter traits

Cocoa agroforest multifunctionality and soil fertility explained by shade tree litter traits

The 10 Elements of Agroecology: enabling transitions towards sustainable agriculture and food systems through visual narratives

Root architecture, root biomass and nutrient cycling in a mixed‐species agroforestry system

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About