Agroforestry systems strongly characterize the Cameroonian agrarian landscape. Agroforests are among those structuring the ecotones of Mbam and Inoubou in the Central Cameroon region. Numerous works on agroecosystems ...Agroforestry systems strongly characterize the Cameroonian agrarian landscape. Agroforests are among those structuring the ecotones of Mbam and Inoubou in the Central Cameroon region. Numerous works on agroecosystems of Central and South Cameroon, few have come out contribution of the structure of these traditional systems in the dynamics of the vegetation of these forest-savannah ecotones. The present contribution has the overall objective of demonstrating the structural efficiency of agroforests the dynamics of ecotone vegetation, but also in the conservation of biodiversity. To do this, a participatory analysis was carried out with 56 farmers distributed in the five villages of Makénéné. Botanical inventories supplemented socio-economic household surveys. The data collected was subjected to various analyzes (univariate test, analysis of variance, multivariate test, PCA, CAH). The results reveal that 55.2% of agroforests are less than 15 years old and those with an area greater than 1500 m<sup>2</sup> predominate (33%). They are mainly young with generally small surface areas. The horizontal structure reveals that the largest diameter classes are those of [20 - 30 cm[ and [10 - 20 cm[ with a very low rate of basal area. Agroforests with trees over 10 m high are dominant in five villages of Makénéné. Two types of structural profiles characterize the agroforestry flora of the area, namely intensive pluristratified home gardens on savannah and intensive pluristratified agroforests under forest-savannah transition vegetation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ascending Hierarchical Clustering (HAC) show three Agroforest Clusters each. The PCA distribution reveals that woody biomass (Y) is strongly correlated with tree diameter (DBH) and significantly with height (Cluster 2). The age (AAG) (Cluster 1) of these agroforests, on the other hand, remains independent of the density (DST) of these trees (Cluster 3). The agroforests in the Nyokon, Carrière and Mocksud villages are the most effective in terms of conserving woody diversity while the agroforests of the Kinding ndé and Nyokon villages are more efficient in the reforestation processes. These results could be considered as effective and quantifiable tools for the certification of numerous cash crops such as cocoa and coffee, which will make it possible to valorize this local knowledge in terms of scientific and in the development of various programs and writing of technical notes.展开更多
Many researches deal with practices which could adduce reliable answers to insure an ecological development which meets the nowadays global issue ＂feed the world＂ in a sustainable way. But scientific research is muc...Many researches deal with practices which could adduce reliable answers to insure an ecological development which meets the nowadays global issue ＂feed the world＂ in a sustainable way. But scientific research is much less prolific about social adhesion to those practices. How could we be certain that peasants will integrate them and transform their agriculture？ It is at that particular point that we settled our contribution. Our goal is to determine what are the levers which could be activated to promote agroecological practices, and, on the contrary, what are the obstacles which could prevent social adhesion to agroecology. The meticulous fieldwork carried in Barani, a landlocked small village in the North-West of the Burkina Faso, shows that all the ingredients for the development and the dissemination of agroecology already exist. Indeed, traditional agriculture is not so far from agroecology. But we noticed among peasants ofBarani a rejection of the local farming system synonymous, according to them, with backwardness, and an attraction for industrial agriculture, sign of modernity. Dissemination of agroecology will have to go through a major confidence-building work of the peasants with their own practices, as opposed to multiple trainings where they are always being taught what they already know.展开更多
Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology (NEIGAE), a component ofKnowledge Innovation Program in Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), established in March 2002 throughmerging the former Changchun Institute of Ge...Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology (NEIGAE), a component ofKnowledge Innovation Program in Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), established in March 2002 throughmerging the former Changchun Institute of Geography and the former Heilongjiang Institute ofAgricultural Modernization, is an integrative institution engaged in geography and agriculture.展开更多
In the light of its negative impacts on the environment and human health, conventional agriculture is currently facing new challenges;for example, reducing pesticide reliance, improving biodiversity, adapting to clima...In the light of its negative impacts on the environment and human health, conventional agriculture is currently facing new challenges;for example, reducing pesticide reliance, improving biodiversity, adapting to climate change and reconciling winegrowers with consumers, which require changes to be made to vineyard management. A shift towards more sustainable agriculture via the development of agroecological systems may be key to meeting these environmental, economic and social challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of existing viticultural systems, as well as that of three new scenarios that we built to change conventional vine production systems and their related practices. The end aim is to adopt the principles of agroecology, and more virtuously, to ensure that vine production remains in line with societal expectations. First, thirty-eight different viticultural systems were chosen. Three realistic scenarios for changing these production systems were then built by working with stakeholders and incorporating the best practices that had been identified in the vineyard. Conventional practices were optimised in the first scenario and an agroecological approach was adopted for the other two scenarios: an Agroecological scenario (using synthetic chemicals) and an Agroecological-Bio scenario (organic system). All three scenarios were based on a combination of good practices which contribute to enhancing vineyard biodiversity, and which thus restore biological regulation and in turn reduce pesticides. The viticultural systems performances have been evaluated with a methodology involving multicriteria decision aid using ELECTRE Tri-C and ELECTRE III methods. Seven evaluation criteria were selected which covered socio-economic performance (economic profitability, workload and system complexity) and environmental performance (pesticide pressure, pesticide ecotoxicity, agroecological practices and pesticide drift). The best performances were achieved by the two agroecological scenarios, and this methodology can be adaptable to different production systems everywhere in different viticultural regions.展开更多
The Flooding Pampa grasslands are the last remnant of the Rio de la Plata grasslands in Argentina.Anthropo-genic interventions have led to severe degradation and,as a result,the ecosystem services provided by the gras...The Flooding Pampa grasslands are the last remnant of the Rio de la Plata grasslands in Argentina.Anthropo-genic interventions have led to severe degradation and,as a result,the ecosystem services provided by the grass-lands are declining,in terms of provisioning,regulating,and supporting services.We synthesized the existing literature on the ecosystem goods and services provided by these grasslands under grazing in different conditions and conservation status.We found that plant and animal diversity and primary production are the most studied ecosystem services,while climate regulation,water supply,nutrient cycling,meat production and erosion control,in that order,are less studied.Cultural services are under-researched.Continuous grazing and glyphosate spraying are the main drivers of grassland degradation.Controlled grazing and conservative stocking rates have been shown to reverse degradation and demonstrate that livestock production is compatible with ecosystem conserva-tion by maintaining regulating and provisioning services.As these management strategies are poorly integrated,improving their implementation will require important changes in farmers’decisions and the development of policies that create the economic conditions for this to happen.Research is needed to understand the conditions that prevent the knowledge generated from being transferred to producers and translated into practices that would improve the provision of ecosystem services.展开更多
The article proposes two agricultural paradigms to address global food production sustainability. First, precision agroecology may unite production-oriented and ecological agriculture, but it offers distinct solutions...The article proposes two agricultural paradigms to address global food production sustainability. First, precision agroecology may unite production-oriented and ecological agriculture, but it offers distinct solutions based on data, innovation, and decision-analysis technologies. The author demonstrates how precision technology and agroecological principles can transform agriculture by 1) minimizing inputs with optimization prescriptions, 2) replacing self-sustaining inputs with location variable rate technology, 3) integrating functional ecosystems into agroecosystems with exact preservation technology, 4) hooking up farmers and consumers via value-based food ecosystems, and 5) establishing equitable agroecology. Hence, precision agroecology provides a rare opportunity to integrate indigenous practices and contemporary technologies to revolutionize farming practices. Precision agroecology can tackle agriculture’s most serious sustainability issues in a world in flux.展开更多
Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation with insufficient external nutrient replenishment is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A trial using the organic and mineral fertilizer was es...Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation with insufficient external nutrient replenishment is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A trial using the organic and mineral fertilizer was established in the cassava cropping system of the Pissa and Damara areas to address the declining soil fertility. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of cow manure and mineral fertilizer in combination or sole application on soil physico-chemical properties and macronutrients. The experimental trial adopted a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four times. The treatments comprised of;T1 (Control), T2 (Peasant practice), T3 (sole NPK), and T4 (Cow manure + NPK). The data on soil physicochemical analysis was subjected to a one-way analysis of variance in SAS 9.4 and the mean was separated by Tukey’s HSD test at p < 0.005. The soil pH values ranged from 4.20 to 4.91;and 4.53 to 5.28 in Pissa and Damara respectively. According to the treatments, a low pH value is observed in T3 (4.13) in the Pissa. Combined use of cow manure and the mineral fertilizer resulted in higher Mg K and N in the Pissa region and higher soil pH in Damara. The use of sole NPK (T3) gave a higher soil carbon and CN ratio. In the Pissa region the CEC, Cu, Fe, and Zn were higher in the treatments with mineral fertilizer compared to the control. Conclusively, the use of mineral fertilizer and cow manure can be used with optimum rates to improve soil physico-chemical properties on a sustainable basis.展开更多
This study aims to investigate the abundance of AMF according to soil properties and altitudes in different cacao plantations of Cameroon. Physico-chemical analyses were made on soil samples collected from three agro-...This study aims to investigate the abundance of AMF according to soil properties and altitudes in different cacao plantations of Cameroon. Physico-chemical analyses were made on soil samples collected from three agro-ecological zones. Soil samples were also used to evaluate directly the AMF abundance following the various altitudes and after trapping by sorghum plant. The results showed that soil properties, AMF spore abundances and colonization fluctuated significantly at different altitudes. The most represented texture was sandy loam. The bimodal zone presented a homogeneous texture (sandy loam) in all its localities. Cacao soil chemical characteristics showed that, the highest nitrogen rate (0.47%;p 0.05, Scott-Knott test) was recorded at Melong in a monomodal zone while Tonga in the Western highlands displayed the lowest rate (0.13%). Soil P concentration was significantly high in monomodal zones (Mbanga and Melong). Soil pH level indicated that the soil from Tonga in the Western highlands was neutral (pH = 6.67), and soils of other localities under study were acidic with the lowest (4.75) pH level recorded at Melong in a monomodal zone. In soil samples, the highest spore density (1.03 spores/g soil) was observed at Ntui in Bimodal zone, while the lowest spore density (0.26 spores/g soil) was observed at Bafang in the Western highlands. Root colonization showed that the sample from Bokito in a bimodal zone displayed the best frequency of mycorrhization (86.11%) while the sample from Bafang in the Western highlands recorded the lowest (27.11%). The PCA analysis highlighted that available phosphorus, pH and altitude all strongly correlated with AMF root colonization ability and can be used as a predictor of AMF colonization ability in cacao rhizosphere.展开更多
Background: Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension (HTN) are one of the main causes of death in Cameroon. This study aimed at assessing prevalence disparities and determinants of hypertension amongst Bamilé...Background: Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension (HTN) are one of the main causes of death in Cameroon. This study aimed at assessing prevalence disparities and determinants of hypertension amongst Bamiléké adults residing in two different agroecological zones of Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive survey was conducted among Bamiléké population living in the Highlands zone (Western region) and in the Monomodal Rainforest zone (Littoral region) of Cameroon from August 2016 to August 2017. Participants (962) were aged at least 20 years old. Data on sociodemographic, hemodynamic, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters and lifestyle of the participants were collected. Results: Results obtained revealed that 34.2% were hypertensive and those residing in the highland zone were more affected than those living in the monomodal rainforest zone (44.5% vs 22.9%). The different subtypes of HTN (Isolated systolic hypertension (14.1%), isolated diastolic hypertension (7.2%) and Systo-diastolic hypertension (23.3%)) were also more prevalent in the Highlands Zone. The most prevalent stage of HTN was pre-HTN (31.5%). However, people living in the monomodal rainforest zone were more affected by pre-HTN compared to Bamiléké living in the highland zone (33.6% vs. 29.6%). Results also showed that high consumption (≥ 3 times/week) of carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods, ageing, obesity, and marital status were associated with high blood pressure in both agroecological zones. Besides, secondary education (OR = 0.68;95% CI: 0.42 - 0.99) in the Highlands Zone and high (≥3 times/week) vegetable consumption (OR = 0.66;95% CI: 0.44 - 0.98) in the Monomodal Rainforest Zone had a protective effect on elevated blood pressure of population. Conclusion: There is a disparity in the prevalence of hypertension and some of its determinants among Bamiléké adults residing in different agroecological zones. This work highlights the need to advocate for local and ethno-cultural health policies to prevent, diagnose and manage hypertension.展开更多
The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces of Yunnan Province have become a national emblem for China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site,but some are beginning to crumble.This research attempts to address why this is happening and w...The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces of Yunnan Province have become a national emblem for China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site,but some are beginning to crumble.This research attempts to address why this is happening and what can be done about it.Previous work has failed to adequately address the possible shortcomings of recently introduced seed and water management technologies,their particular effect on rice terraces and the people who depend upon them.In an effort to better understand the issue,field observation was triangulated with in-depth interviews with local people,and the examination of scientific literature.To do this,the authors spent time in China with a translator in a key village known to be first in the area to truly succeed in carving the rice terraces and in making the mountain slope irrigation system required actually working.Results validated by experts in each field indicate that while the new seed and technologies do save water and improve lives,paired with migration,they may also be threatening the long-term viability of rice terracing in the region.The authors conclude that an integrated approach is needed and put forward a strategic blueprint to reinforce ecological,social and economic longevity.They also call for more research into the applicability of these resilience measures in other hybrid rice terracing regions,such as in the Philippines and Vietnam.展开更多
Vegetables are key to nutrition and economic security, especially for developing societies. Research in vegetables has been historically key. From early domestication efforts to modern-day breeding and value addition,...Vegetables are key to nutrition and economic security, especially for developing societies. Research in vegetables has been historically key. From early domestication efforts to modern-day breeding and value addition, research has enabled vegetable productivity to support the nutritional and economic needs of societies. Impactful research, however, requires competent research capacity and a guiding framework, in a continuously changing socio-climatic world. Vegetable research appraisal in Malawi, especially regarding capacity, focus, and a guiding framework, is lacking. By using 5 search engines and 506 analyzed publications, this review sought to first examine the existing research capacity in Malawi and assess the vegetable research focus in terms of both value chain analysis themes and specific vegetable tax. This approach allowed for the isolation and flagging out of key emerging issues from existing research that positively contextualize future vegetable research direction in Malawi. It has been found that Malawi has adequate institutional and expertise capacity to further vegetable research. The identified challenges include local funding and infrastructural capacity to leverage donor funding. Three key emerging issues of climate change, modeling, and biofortification in vegetable crops have been identified. It is suggested that, with Malawi facing the climate change challenge, research focus in these areas, will enhance not only nutritional and economic security, but also overall climate change readiness. Key to climate change readiness is the involvement of indigenous vegetable production. As a package, vegetable cultivation can play a critical role in contributing to the achievement of pillar 1 of the Malawi vision 2063, which seeks to leverage agricultural productivity and commercialization with a focus on climate change resilience.展开更多
In order to grasp the distribution of Aspergillus flavus in the soil of peanut production areas in China,A.flavus biomarkers were tested on 555 soil samples from 37 sampling points in 17 provinces,peanut fields in fou...In order to grasp the distribution of Aspergillus flavus in the soil of peanut production areas in China,A.flavus biomarkers were tested on 555 soil samples from 37 sampling points in 17 provinces,peanut fields in four agroecological zones(Southern area,Yangtze River Basin,Northern area,Northeast area).The results showed that(1)the cultivation amount of A.flavus per gram of soil in the Yangtze River Basin is 1.30 times that of the southern area,1.56 times that of the northern area,and 6.20 times that of the northeast area,with obvious regional characteristics.(2)In the Yangtze River basin,the change of longitude in the east-west direction has no direct impact on the cultivation amount of A.flavus per gram of soil.(3)In the east coast,the A.flavus cultivated per gram of soil increased first and then decreased with the increase of latitude from south to north.(4)A.flavus can be isolated in the soil samples above 1000 m.Field pollution is an important source of aflatoxin contamination in peanut.The study on the distribution of A.flavus in soil in China could provide theoretical support for the early warning and prevention and control measures of aflatoxin contamination in peanut.展开更多
The study was conducted with the main objective to evaluate the genetic variability, heritability, and clustering pattern exploration of morphological and yield related traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) collecti...The study was conducted with the main objective to evaluate the genetic variability, heritability, and clustering pattern exploration of morphological and yield related traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) collections in the bimodal rainfall agroecological zone of Cameroon using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The data obtained on morphological and yield traits were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the viability rate of the collections varied from 77.78% to 96.55% respectively for the Maffo and Desiree collections, while the greatest number of tubers per plant varied from 4 to 18 respectively for Synergie and Desiree. The emergence rate varies from 60% to 1.66% respectively for Maffo et Doza collections. However, Desiree presents the highest TL (96.55) while Maffo shows the lowest value (77.78%). The yield per hectare varied from 1.14 to 9.3 t/h for Maffo and Doza respectively. For all the characteristics observed, Phenotypic Coefficients of Variation (PCV) were higher than Genotypic Coefficients of Variation (GCV) suggesting the role of environment in the expression of traits under observation. The highest GCV and PCV 47.55 and 58.94 respectively were observed for Diameter at the collar (DC). Most of the traits showed high GAM (>20%)) except Average Tuber Length (ATL) with a moderate value (19.8). In terms of vegetative development, the Desiree variety showed the highest performance. Based on the growth and yield results, Doza seems to be the most recommendable crop in the study area.展开更多
Mycotoxins are one of the most dangerous chemical contaminants found in staple foods. Aflatoxins, a well-known mycotoxin, are mostly dangerous for both humans and livestock, according to the International Agency Cance...Mycotoxins are one of the most dangerous chemical contaminants found in staple foods. Aflatoxins, a well-known mycotoxin, are mostly dangerous for both humans and livestock, according to the International Agency Cancer for Research on Cancer. In this paper, the author aimed to establish a geographical distribution map of aflatoxins fungi producers on several food like maize, maize of popcorn, popcorm, fish, spices, cassava, mil, sorghum, peanut and voandzou from the eight (8) agroecological area in Benin. Several molds were isolated from these foods and morphologically characterized on malt extract agar. Among the fungi, 318 species isolated from four leading subspecies, A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. nomius, and A. togoensis, belonging to the Aspergillus section Flavi, were identified. For molecular analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were used to amplify 1450 pb of the beta-tubulin gene, and their products were used to realize restruction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) to identify genic characteristics. From this strain, three DNA fragments were identified as belonging to subspecies A. flavus, and four DNA fragments were classified as belonging to A. parasiticus. Furthermore, chemotaxonomic’s analysis was performed on all strains isolated by thin layer chromatography revealing variable levels of aflatoxin’s contamination in the samples. All feedstuffs from the eight agroecological areas in Benin were found to be contaminated by several molds, and their mycotoxins mainly comprised four types of aflatoxins: B1, B2, G1 and G2. This study revealed that the four agroecological areas in northern Benin are primarily contaminated by A. flavus and A. togoensis, producers of aflatoxins B1 and B2, whereas the four agroecological areas southern Benin are contaminated by A. parasiticus and A. nomius, producers of both sets of aflatoxins B1 and B2 and aflatoxins G1 and G2. This study can be used to protect public health from the risks associated with liver cancer.展开更多
This article assesses the impacts of agroecological technologies adoption on the agricultural yields and incomes for millet and cowpea producers in Niger from both Maradi and Zinder regions. For this purpose, a set of...This article assesses the impacts of agroecological technologies adoption on the agricultural yields and incomes for millet and cowpea producers in Niger from both Maradi and Zinder regions. For this purpose, a set of descriptive statistics methods are applied to data collected from 1950 producers from 80 villages. Results indicate that the density of semi, HPK variety, compost and IT 90 variety are the most adopted agroecological technologies with respective adoption rates of 87%, 69%, 64.3% and 64%. Moreover, results show that millet producers that adopted agro-ecological technologies have on average multiplied by 2.00 and 2.96 times their production, in Zinder and Maradi regions respectively. Besides, findings reveal that cowpea producers that adopted agro-ecological technologies have on average multiplied by 2.00 and 3.21 times their production, in Zinder and Maradi regions respectively. Finally, results support that the improvement in millet and cowpea yields has led to increase in producers’ total income by 2 and 3 times respectively in Zinder and Maradi regions. Since agroecological technologies improve agricultural yields and income, we suggest policy makers to recommend their adoption and diffusion.展开更多
The general situation of planning and construction project for Agroecological parks in ecological corridor was introduced and its planning orientation or guiding ideology was also analyzed.Furthermore,countermeasures ...The general situation of planning and construction project for Agroecological parks in ecological corridor was introduced and its planning orientation or guiding ideology was also analyzed.Furthermore,countermeasures and suggestions for planning and construction of Agroecological parks in ecological corridor were proposed.展开更多
The waterlogging damage is the pit to agriculture in plain and lake region. This damage is related to the groundwater, ancient lakes, soil, land use and negative landforms, the conventional technique is adopted to the...The waterlogging damage is the pit to agriculture in plain and lake region. This damage is related to the groundwater, ancient lakes, soil, land use and negative landforms, the conventional technique is adopted to the study of this damage. In this paper, we suggest a new technical method, the technique is based on DEM, to study this problem. The DEM is developed on the ECLIPSE MV/ 10000 AOS/ VS system, and the estimation model of waterlogging loss is built on the historical data of the test region in Jianghan Plain. and then, the rice waterlogging loss of test region is estimated by them.展开更多
Information on phosphorus(P) adsorption and its impacts on the redistribution of the P fraction in soil profiles are important for environmental management under intensive agricultural practices.To clarify the dominan...Information on phosphorus(P) adsorption and its impacts on the redistribution of the P fraction in soil profiles are important for environmental management under intensive agricultural practices.To clarify the dominant factors influencing soil phosphorus adsorption in an Entisol(locally known as purple soil), P adsorption experiments were conducted in Sichuan Basin of southwestern China for cropland and woodland soils with acidic, neutral and calcareous origins throughout their profile. After various doses of P were added during incubation experiments, soil P fractions were also analyzed. The results showed that there were no significant differences in Fe-oxides and P adsorption along the vertical gradients. Agricultural practices and lower p H conditions reduced the P adsorption capacity of purple soils throughout the soil profiles. For acidic and neutral purple soil profiles, the P adsorption capability was mainly influenced by Fe-oxides and soil texture. Ca-bound P and Fe-Al-bound P represented the majority of the total inorganic P of calcareous soils.There was a saturation of adsorption capacity by sesquioxide and a high risk of dissoluble reactive P(NH_4 Cl-P) being released out of the soil profile in acidic and neutral purple soils after the greatest P addition, indicated by the higher proportions of NH_4 Cl-P(over 40%) and decreasing Fe-Al-P fraction.P fractions migrated with greater difficulty in calcareous purple soil profiles as Ca-P fraction peaked over 65% when adding a P dose at or greater than 80 g P kg^(-1), indicating the high potential of P adsorption.The X-Ray Diffraction analysis also verified the formation of brushite. Adaptive management practices should be designed to alleviate P losses for acidic and neutral purple soils.展开更多
The purpose of this contribution is to lay down a preparatory groundwork for an ontology of ecosystem services in the setting of agroecosystems viewed as social-ecological systems. This ontology aims at defining a set...The purpose of this contribution is to lay down a preparatory groundwork for an ontology of ecosystem services in the setting of agroecosystems viewed as social-ecological systems. This ontology aims at defining a set of representational primitives with which to model agroecosystems, through the prism of ecosystem service flows to and from agriculture. It helps delineate between biophysical structures, processes, functions, and ecosystem services. On the human side of agroecosystems, the ontology includes a conceptualization of the behaviors that govern the management of ecosystem services at different levels. It strengthens the existing analytic basis of multidisciplinary research on ecosystem services in agroecosystems by prompting modelers to stick to a homogeneous dynamic-system decomposition of the target agroecosystem. Most importantly, it provides the conceptual link between biophysical research on ecosystem services and equally important considerations on cognitive and social aspects involved in agricultural and landscape-level decisions that aim at implementing agroecological principles.展开更多
Microorganisms are key actors in soil quality.However,their activity is influenced by various factors including agricultural practices.This study aimed to assess the effects of 4 agroecological practices on soil micro...Microorganisms are key actors in soil quality.However,their activity is influenced by various factors including agricultural practices.This study aimed to assess the effects of 4 agroecological practices on soil microbiological activity in the Sudano-Sahelian area of Burkina Faso.These practices involved(a)the use of organic matter(OM)spread over a plot,with and without micro-dose mineral fertilization and(b)the localized application of organic manure in planting pits dug into hard pan land(zaï),with and without cereal-legume rotation.Microbial biomass(MB)by fumigation-extraction and soil respiration by incubation-extraction were measured on 40 soil samples,taken at 0-10 cm depth.The results indicated higher cumulative values of carbon from respiration on plots with generalized application of OM,with and without mineral fertilizers(113 and 111 mg C-CO_(2)/kg soil respectively),than on plots with localized application,with and without cereal-legume rotation(72.9 and 98 mg C-CO_(2)/kg soil respectively).MB follows the same trend as soil respiration with lower values(21.9 to 50.9 mg C/kg soil respectively).Generalized application of OM with or without mineral fertilizers was more favorable to soil microbial activity.展开更多
文摘Agroforestry systems strongly characterize the Cameroonian agrarian landscape. Agroforests are among those structuring the ecotones of Mbam and Inoubou in the Central Cameroon region. Numerous works on agroecosystems of Central and South Cameroon, few have come out contribution of the structure of these traditional systems in the dynamics of the vegetation of these forest-savannah ecotones. The present contribution has the overall objective of demonstrating the structural efficiency of agroforests the dynamics of ecotone vegetation, but also in the conservation of biodiversity. To do this, a participatory analysis was carried out with 56 farmers distributed in the five villages of Makénéné. Botanical inventories supplemented socio-economic household surveys. The data collected was subjected to various analyzes (univariate test, analysis of variance, multivariate test, PCA, CAH). The results reveal that 55.2% of agroforests are less than 15 years old and those with an area greater than 1500 m<sup>2</sup> predominate (33%). They are mainly young with generally small surface areas. The horizontal structure reveals that the largest diameter classes are those of [20 - 30 cm[ and [10 - 20 cm[ with a very low rate of basal area. Agroforests with trees over 10 m high are dominant in five villages of Makénéné. Two types of structural profiles characterize the agroforestry flora of the area, namely intensive pluristratified home gardens on savannah and intensive pluristratified agroforests under forest-savannah transition vegetation. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ascending Hierarchical Clustering (HAC) show three Agroforest Clusters each. The PCA distribution reveals that woody biomass (Y) is strongly correlated with tree diameter (DBH) and significantly with height (Cluster 2). The age (AAG) (Cluster 1) of these agroforests, on the other hand, remains independent of the density (DST) of these trees (Cluster 3). The agroforests in the Nyokon, Carrière and Mocksud villages are the most effective in terms of conserving woody diversity while the agroforests of the Kinding ndé and Nyokon villages are more efficient in the reforestation processes. These results could be considered as effective and quantifiable tools for the certification of numerous cash crops such as cocoa and coffee, which will make it possible to valorize this local knowledge in terms of scientific and in the development of various programs and writing of technical notes.
文摘Many researches deal with practices which could adduce reliable answers to insure an ecological development which meets the nowadays global issue ＂feed the world＂ in a sustainable way. But scientific research is much less prolific about social adhesion to those practices. How could we be certain that peasants will integrate them and transform their agriculture？ It is at that particular point that we settled our contribution. Our goal is to determine what are the levers which could be activated to promote agroecological practices, and, on the contrary, what are the obstacles which could prevent social adhesion to agroecology. The meticulous fieldwork carried in Barani, a landlocked small village in the North-West of the Burkina Faso, shows that all the ingredients for the development and the dissemination of agroecology already exist. Indeed, traditional agriculture is not so far from agroecology. But we noticed among peasants ofBarani a rejection of the local farming system synonymous, according to them, with backwardness, and an attraction for industrial agriculture, sign of modernity. Dissemination of agroecology will have to go through a major confidence-building work of the peasants with their own practices, as opposed to multiple trainings where they are always being taught what they already know.
文摘Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology (NEIGAE), a component ofKnowledge Innovation Program in Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), established in March 2002 throughmerging the former Changchun Institute of Geography and the former Heilongjiang Institute ofAgricultural Modernization, is an integrative institution engaged in geography and agriculture.
文摘In the light of its negative impacts on the environment and human health, conventional agriculture is currently facing new challenges;for example, reducing pesticide reliance, improving biodiversity, adapting to climate change and reconciling winegrowers with consumers, which require changes to be made to vineyard management. A shift towards more sustainable agriculture via the development of agroecological systems may be key to meeting these environmental, economic and social challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of existing viticultural systems, as well as that of three new scenarios that we built to change conventional vine production systems and their related practices. The end aim is to adopt the principles of agroecology, and more virtuously, to ensure that vine production remains in line with societal expectations. First, thirty-eight different viticultural systems were chosen. Three realistic scenarios for changing these production systems were then built by working with stakeholders and incorporating the best practices that had been identified in the vineyard. Conventional practices were optimised in the first scenario and an agroecological approach was adopted for the other two scenarios: an Agroecological scenario (using synthetic chemicals) and an Agroecological-Bio scenario (organic system). All three scenarios were based on a combination of good practices which contribute to enhancing vineyard biodiversity, and which thus restore biological regulation and in turn reduce pesticides. The viticultural systems performances have been evaluated with a methodology involving multicriteria decision aid using ELECTRE Tri-C and ELECTRE III methods. Seven evaluation criteria were selected which covered socio-economic performance (economic profitability, workload and system complexity) and environmental performance (pesticide pressure, pesticide ecotoxicity, agroecological practices and pesticide drift). The best performances were achieved by the two agroecological scenarios, and this methodology can be adaptable to different production systems everywhere in different viticultural regions.
文摘The Flooding Pampa grasslands are the last remnant of the Rio de la Plata grasslands in Argentina.Anthropo-genic interventions have led to severe degradation and,as a result,the ecosystem services provided by the grass-lands are declining,in terms of provisioning,regulating,and supporting services.We synthesized the existing literature on the ecosystem goods and services provided by these grasslands under grazing in different conditions and conservation status.We found that plant and animal diversity and primary production are the most studied ecosystem services,while climate regulation,water supply,nutrient cycling,meat production and erosion control,in that order,are less studied.Cultural services are under-researched.Continuous grazing and glyphosate spraying are the main drivers of grassland degradation.Controlled grazing and conservative stocking rates have been shown to reverse degradation and demonstrate that livestock production is compatible with ecosystem conserva-tion by maintaining regulating and provisioning services.As these management strategies are poorly integrated,improving their implementation will require important changes in farmers’decisions and the development of policies that create the economic conditions for this to happen.Research is needed to understand the conditions that prevent the knowledge generated from being transferred to producers and translated into practices that would improve the provision of ecosystem services.
文摘The article proposes two agricultural paradigms to address global food production sustainability. First, precision agroecology may unite production-oriented and ecological agriculture, but it offers distinct solutions based on data, innovation, and decision-analysis technologies. The author demonstrates how precision technology and agroecological principles can transform agriculture by 1) minimizing inputs with optimization prescriptions, 2) replacing self-sustaining inputs with location variable rate technology, 3) integrating functional ecosystems into agroecosystems with exact preservation technology, 4) hooking up farmers and consumers via value-based food ecosystems, and 5) establishing equitable agroecology. Hence, precision agroecology provides a rare opportunity to integrate indigenous practices and contemporary technologies to revolutionize farming practices. Precision agroecology can tackle agriculture’s most serious sustainability issues in a world in flux.
文摘Soil nutrient depletion as a result of continuous cultivation with insufficient external nutrient replenishment is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A trial using the organic and mineral fertilizer was established in the cassava cropping system of the Pissa and Damara areas to address the declining soil fertility. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of cow manure and mineral fertilizer in combination or sole application on soil physico-chemical properties and macronutrients. The experimental trial adopted a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated four times. The treatments comprised of;T1 (Control), T2 (Peasant practice), T3 (sole NPK), and T4 (Cow manure + NPK). The data on soil physicochemical analysis was subjected to a one-way analysis of variance in SAS 9.4 and the mean was separated by Tukey’s HSD test at p < 0.005. The soil pH values ranged from 4.20 to 4.91;and 4.53 to 5.28 in Pissa and Damara respectively. According to the treatments, a low pH value is observed in T3 (4.13) in the Pissa. Combined use of cow manure and the mineral fertilizer resulted in higher Mg K and N in the Pissa region and higher soil pH in Damara. The use of sole NPK (T3) gave a higher soil carbon and CN ratio. In the Pissa region the CEC, Cu, Fe, and Zn were higher in the treatments with mineral fertilizer compared to the control. Conclusively, the use of mineral fertilizer and cow manure can be used with optimum rates to improve soil physico-chemical properties on a sustainable basis.
文摘This study aims to investigate the abundance of AMF according to soil properties and altitudes in different cacao plantations of Cameroon. Physico-chemical analyses were made on soil samples collected from three agro-ecological zones. Soil samples were also used to evaluate directly the AMF abundance following the various altitudes and after trapping by sorghum plant. The results showed that soil properties, AMF spore abundances and colonization fluctuated significantly at different altitudes. The most represented texture was sandy loam. The bimodal zone presented a homogeneous texture (sandy loam) in all its localities. Cacao soil chemical characteristics showed that, the highest nitrogen rate (0.47%;p 0.05, Scott-Knott test) was recorded at Melong in a monomodal zone while Tonga in the Western highlands displayed the lowest rate (0.13%). Soil P concentration was significantly high in monomodal zones (Mbanga and Melong). Soil pH level indicated that the soil from Tonga in the Western highlands was neutral (pH = 6.67), and soils of other localities under study were acidic with the lowest (4.75) pH level recorded at Melong in a monomodal zone. In soil samples, the highest spore density (1.03 spores/g soil) was observed at Ntui in Bimodal zone, while the lowest spore density (0.26 spores/g soil) was observed at Bafang in the Western highlands. Root colonization showed that the sample from Bokito in a bimodal zone displayed the best frequency of mycorrhization (86.11%) while the sample from Bafang in the Western highlands recorded the lowest (27.11%). The PCA analysis highlighted that available phosphorus, pH and altitude all strongly correlated with AMF root colonization ability and can be used as a predictor of AMF colonization ability in cacao rhizosphere.
文摘Background: Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension (HTN) are one of the main causes of death in Cameroon. This study aimed at assessing prevalence disparities and determinants of hypertension amongst Bamiléké adults residing in two different agroecological zones of Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive survey was conducted among Bamiléké population living in the Highlands zone (Western region) and in the Monomodal Rainforest zone (Littoral region) of Cameroon from August 2016 to August 2017. Participants (962) were aged at least 20 years old. Data on sociodemographic, hemodynamic, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters and lifestyle of the participants were collected. Results: Results obtained revealed that 34.2% were hypertensive and those residing in the highland zone were more affected than those living in the monomodal rainforest zone (44.5% vs 22.9%). The different subtypes of HTN (Isolated systolic hypertension (14.1%), isolated diastolic hypertension (7.2%) and Systo-diastolic hypertension (23.3%)) were also more prevalent in the Highlands Zone. The most prevalent stage of HTN was pre-HTN (31.5%). However, people living in the monomodal rainforest zone were more affected by pre-HTN compared to Bamiléké living in the highland zone (33.6% vs. 29.6%). Results also showed that high consumption (≥ 3 times/week) of carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods, ageing, obesity, and marital status were associated with high blood pressure in both agroecological zones. Besides, secondary education (OR = 0.68;95% CI: 0.42 - 0.99) in the Highlands Zone and high (≥3 times/week) vegetable consumption (OR = 0.66;95% CI: 0.44 - 0.98) in the Monomodal Rainforest Zone had a protective effect on elevated blood pressure of population. Conclusion: There is a disparity in the prevalence of hypertension and some of its determinants among Bamiléké adults residing in different agroecological zones. This work highlights the need to advocate for local and ethno-cultural health policies to prevent, diagnose and manage hypertension.
文摘The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces of Yunnan Province have become a national emblem for China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site,but some are beginning to crumble.This research attempts to address why this is happening and what can be done about it.Previous work has failed to adequately address the possible shortcomings of recently introduced seed and water management technologies,their particular effect on rice terraces and the people who depend upon them.In an effort to better understand the issue,field observation was triangulated with in-depth interviews with local people,and the examination of scientific literature.To do this,the authors spent time in China with a translator in a key village known to be first in the area to truly succeed in carving the rice terraces and in making the mountain slope irrigation system required actually working.Results validated by experts in each field indicate that while the new seed and technologies do save water and improve lives,paired with migration,they may also be threatening the long-term viability of rice terracing in the region.The authors conclude that an integrated approach is needed and put forward a strategic blueprint to reinforce ecological,social and economic longevity.They also call for more research into the applicability of these resilience measures in other hybrid rice terracing regions,such as in the Philippines and Vietnam.
文摘Vegetables are key to nutrition and economic security, especially for developing societies. Research in vegetables has been historically key. From early domestication efforts to modern-day breeding and value addition, research has enabled vegetable productivity to support the nutritional and economic needs of societies. Impactful research, however, requires competent research capacity and a guiding framework, in a continuously changing socio-climatic world. Vegetable research appraisal in Malawi, especially regarding capacity, focus, and a guiding framework, is lacking. By using 5 search engines and 506 analyzed publications, this review sought to first examine the existing research capacity in Malawi and assess the vegetable research focus in terms of both value chain analysis themes and specific vegetable tax. This approach allowed for the isolation and flagging out of key emerging issues from existing research that positively contextualize future vegetable research direction in Malawi. It has been found that Malawi has adequate institutional and expertise capacity to further vegetable research. The identified challenges include local funding and infrastructural capacity to leverage donor funding. Three key emerging issues of climate change, modeling, and biofortification in vegetable crops have been identified. It is suggested that, with Malawi facing the climate change challenge, research focus in these areas, will enhance not only nutritional and economic security, but also overall climate change readiness. Key to climate change readiness is the involvement of indigenous vegetable production. As a package, vegetable cultivation can play a critical role in contributing to the achievement of pillar 1 of the Malawi vision 2063, which seeks to leverage agricultural productivity and commercialization with a focus on climate change resilience.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFF1100702)Major project of Hubei Hongshan Laboratory(2021hszd015),National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(32030085,U22A20551)+1 种基金Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAASASTIP-2021-OCRI)Knowledge Innovation Program of Wuhan-Shuguang Project(3570).
文摘In order to grasp the distribution of Aspergillus flavus in the soil of peanut production areas in China,A.flavus biomarkers were tested on 555 soil samples from 37 sampling points in 17 provinces,peanut fields in four agroecological zones(Southern area,Yangtze River Basin,Northern area,Northeast area).The results showed that(1)the cultivation amount of A.flavus per gram of soil in the Yangtze River Basin is 1.30 times that of the southern area,1.56 times that of the northern area,and 6.20 times that of the northeast area,with obvious regional characteristics.(2)In the Yangtze River basin,the change of longitude in the east-west direction has no direct impact on the cultivation amount of A.flavus per gram of soil.(3)In the east coast,the A.flavus cultivated per gram of soil increased first and then decreased with the increase of latitude from south to north.(4)A.flavus can be isolated in the soil samples above 1000 m.Field pollution is an important source of aflatoxin contamination in peanut.The study on the distribution of A.flavus in soil in China could provide theoretical support for the early warning and prevention and control measures of aflatoxin contamination in peanut.
文摘The study was conducted with the main objective to evaluate the genetic variability, heritability, and clustering pattern exploration of morphological and yield related traits in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) collections in the bimodal rainfall agroecological zone of Cameroon using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The data obtained on morphological and yield traits were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the viability rate of the collections varied from 77.78% to 96.55% respectively for the Maffo and Desiree collections, while the greatest number of tubers per plant varied from 4 to 18 respectively for Synergie and Desiree. The emergence rate varies from 60% to 1.66% respectively for Maffo et Doza collections. However, Desiree presents the highest TL (96.55) while Maffo shows the lowest value (77.78%). The yield per hectare varied from 1.14 to 9.3 t/h for Maffo and Doza respectively. For all the characteristics observed, Phenotypic Coefficients of Variation (PCV) were higher than Genotypic Coefficients of Variation (GCV) suggesting the role of environment in the expression of traits under observation. The highest GCV and PCV 47.55 and 58.94 respectively were observed for Diameter at the collar (DC). Most of the traits showed high GAM (>20%)) except Average Tuber Length (ATL) with a moderate value (19.8). In terms of vegetative development, the Desiree variety showed the highest performance. Based on the growth and yield results, Doza seems to be the most recommendable crop in the study area.
文摘Mycotoxins are one of the most dangerous chemical contaminants found in staple foods. Aflatoxins, a well-known mycotoxin, are mostly dangerous for both humans and livestock, according to the International Agency Cancer for Research on Cancer. In this paper, the author aimed to establish a geographical distribution map of aflatoxins fungi producers on several food like maize, maize of popcorn, popcorm, fish, spices, cassava, mil, sorghum, peanut and voandzou from the eight (8) agroecological area in Benin. Several molds were isolated from these foods and morphologically characterized on malt extract agar. Among the fungi, 318 species isolated from four leading subspecies, A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. nomius, and A. togoensis, belonging to the Aspergillus section Flavi, were identified. For molecular analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods were used to amplify 1450 pb of the beta-tubulin gene, and their products were used to realize restruction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) to identify genic characteristics. From this strain, three DNA fragments were identified as belonging to subspecies A. flavus, and four DNA fragments were classified as belonging to A. parasiticus. Furthermore, chemotaxonomic’s analysis was performed on all strains isolated by thin layer chromatography revealing variable levels of aflatoxin’s contamination in the samples. All feedstuffs from the eight agroecological areas in Benin were found to be contaminated by several molds, and their mycotoxins mainly comprised four types of aflatoxins: B1, B2, G1 and G2. This study revealed that the four agroecological areas in northern Benin are primarily contaminated by A. flavus and A. togoensis, producers of aflatoxins B1 and B2, whereas the four agroecological areas southern Benin are contaminated by A. parasiticus and A. nomius, producers of both sets of aflatoxins B1 and B2 and aflatoxins G1 and G2. This study can be used to protect public health from the risks associated with liver cancer.
文摘This article assesses the impacts of agroecological technologies adoption on the agricultural yields and incomes for millet and cowpea producers in Niger from both Maradi and Zinder regions. For this purpose, a set of descriptive statistics methods are applied to data collected from 1950 producers from 80 villages. Results indicate that the density of semi, HPK variety, compost and IT 90 variety are the most adopted agroecological technologies with respective adoption rates of 87%, 69%, 64.3% and 64%. Moreover, results show that millet producers that adopted agro-ecological technologies have on average multiplied by 2.00 and 2.96 times their production, in Zinder and Maradi regions respectively. Besides, findings reveal that cowpea producers that adopted agro-ecological technologies have on average multiplied by 2.00 and 3.21 times their production, in Zinder and Maradi regions respectively. Finally, results support that the improvement in millet and cowpea yields has led to increase in producers’ total income by 2 and 3 times respectively in Zinder and Maradi regions. Since agroecological technologies improve agricultural yields and income, we suggest policy makers to recommend their adoption and diffusion.
文摘The general situation of planning and construction project for Agroecological parks in ecological corridor was introduced and its planning orientation or guiding ideology was also analyzed.Furthermore,countermeasures and suggestions for planning and construction of Agroecological parks in ecological corridor were proposed.
文摘The waterlogging damage is the pit to agriculture in plain and lake region. This damage is related to the groundwater, ancient lakes, soil, land use and negative landforms, the conventional technique is adopted to the study of this damage. In this paper, we suggest a new technical method, the technique is based on DEM, to study this problem. The DEM is developed on the ECLIPSE MV/ 10000 AOS/ VS system, and the estimation model of waterlogging loss is built on the historical data of the test region in Jianghan Plain. and then, the rice waterlogging loss of test region is estimated by them.
基金supported by National key R&D program(Grant No.2016YFD0200309-7)Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41430750 and 41371241)+1 种基金West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Young Scholarship A)the staff at Yanting Station for their support during the measurements
文摘Information on phosphorus(P) adsorption and its impacts on the redistribution of the P fraction in soil profiles are important for environmental management under intensive agricultural practices.To clarify the dominant factors influencing soil phosphorus adsorption in an Entisol(locally known as purple soil), P adsorption experiments were conducted in Sichuan Basin of southwestern China for cropland and woodland soils with acidic, neutral and calcareous origins throughout their profile. After various doses of P were added during incubation experiments, soil P fractions were also analyzed. The results showed that there were no significant differences in Fe-oxides and P adsorption along the vertical gradients. Agricultural practices and lower p H conditions reduced the P adsorption capacity of purple soils throughout the soil profiles. For acidic and neutral purple soil profiles, the P adsorption capability was mainly influenced by Fe-oxides and soil texture. Ca-bound P and Fe-Al-bound P represented the majority of the total inorganic P of calcareous soils.There was a saturation of adsorption capacity by sesquioxide and a high risk of dissoluble reactive P(NH_4 Cl-P) being released out of the soil profile in acidic and neutral purple soils after the greatest P addition, indicated by the higher proportions of NH_4 Cl-P(over 40%) and decreasing Fe-Al-P fraction.P fractions migrated with greater difficulty in calcareous purple soil profiles as Ca-P fraction peaked over 65% when adding a P dose at or greater than 80 g P kg^(-1), indicating the high potential of P adsorption.The X-Ray Diffraction analysis also verified the formation of brushite. Adaptive management practices should be designed to alleviate P losses for acidic and neutral purple soils.
文摘The purpose of this contribution is to lay down a preparatory groundwork for an ontology of ecosystem services in the setting of agroecosystems viewed as social-ecological systems. This ontology aims at defining a set of representational primitives with which to model agroecosystems, through the prism of ecosystem service flows to and from agriculture. It helps delineate between biophysical structures, processes, functions, and ecosystem services. On the human side of agroecosystems, the ontology includes a conceptualization of the behaviors that govern the management of ecosystem services at different levels. It strengthens the existing analytic basis of multidisciplinary research on ecosystem services in agroecosystems by prompting modelers to stick to a homogeneous dynamic-system decomposition of the target agroecosystem. Most importantly, it provides the conceptual link between biophysical research on ecosystem services and equally important considerations on cognitive and social aspects involved in agricultural and landscape-level decisions that aim at implementing agroecological principles.
文摘Microorganisms are key actors in soil quality.However,their activity is influenced by various factors including agricultural practices.This study aimed to assess the effects of 4 agroecological practices on soil microbiological activity in the Sudano-Sahelian area of Burkina Faso.These practices involved(a)the use of organic matter(OM)spread over a plot,with and without micro-dose mineral fertilization and(b)the localized application of organic manure in planting pits dug into hard pan land(zaï),with and without cereal-legume rotation.Microbial biomass(MB)by fumigation-extraction and soil respiration by incubation-extraction were measured on 40 soil samples,taken at 0-10 cm depth.The results indicated higher cumulative values of carbon from respiration on plots with generalized application of OM,with and without mineral fertilizers(113 and 111 mg C-CO_(2)/kg soil respectively),than on plots with localized application,with and without cereal-legume rotation(72.9 and 98 mg C-CO_(2)/kg soil respectively).MB follows the same trend as soil respiration with lower values(21.9 to 50.9 mg C/kg soil respectively).Generalized application of OM with or without mineral fertilizers was more favorable to soil microbial activity.
