Tropical Agroforestry

About this book

Provides an analytical account of the principles, as well as the practices, of agroforestry within the context of the needs of land occupiers and, in doing so, describes the various specialist aspects that are now emerging in this discipline.

Contents

The nature of agroforestry; A need for agroforestry?; Agroforestry and the farmer - why use woody plants?; Animal agroforestry; Agroforestry and soil and water conservation; The pros and cons of woodiness; Learning from growing crops; Agroforestry and the use of environmental resources - the promise of agroforestry?; Plant spacing and arrangement - an essential management tool; Resource allocation in plants; The tree/crop interface - a key to biological success or failure in agroforestry; Competition and complementarity; Measuring the efficiency of agroforestry systems; Trees in support of agriculture - more about the trees; Classifying multipurpose trees - what are functional types?; Phenology - understanding plant behaviour; The form and nature of root systems; Pruning and tree management - some practical aspects; Helpful associations - soil biota, nitrogen fixing organisms and mycorrhizas; Propagation, planting out and tree protection; Patchiness - living in the real world; Trees and their environment; Agroforestry and site modification - nutrient recycling and soil organic matter; Agroforestry and sustainability; Introducing the philosophy and practice of agroforestry research; Agroforestry field experimentation - a first approach.

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