Agroforestry Systems最新文献

{"title":"Agroforestry suitability and management zoning in the northwestern Himalayas using hybrid expert and machine-learning approaches","authors":"Prashant Sharma,&nbsp;Daulat Ram Bhardwaj,&nbsp;Kamlesh Verma,&nbsp;Vaishali Sharma,&nbsp;Manoj Kumar Singh,&nbsp;Pankaj Thakur,&nbsp;Vivek Kumar Dhiman","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01655-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01655-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Himalayan ecosystem is one of the most delicate ecosystems that requires site-specific planning to balance agricultural intensification with ecological conservation. Agroforestry provides a practical means to achieve this balance; however, its expansion is often constrained by the absence of robust, spatially explicit suitability assessments. Therefore, the current study employed 11 biophysical and socio-economic variables in two independent models, namely, the knowledge-based Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the data-driven Random Forest (RF), to assess agroforestry suitability and develop a spatially explicit management framework for Kangra District in the Northwestern Himalayas, India. The results indicated that the two models produced contrasting outcomes. The AHP model focused on biophysical and land-use limitations, with 61.36% of the district as moderately suitable and 13.65% as highly suitable for agroforestry (AUC = 0.80). Conversely, the RF model, which was primarily based on vegetation and moisture indices (NDVI, NDMI), classified 58.31% of the study area as highly suitable for agroforestry (AUC = 0.998), although residual spatial dependence cannot be completely excluded. The combination of the two models produced a hybrid modelling framework (HMF) with 52.47% of the district area as highly suitable. The spatial consensus analysis showed that the two models largely agreed on 80.92% of the landscape. The spatial agreement was divided into four management zones, i.e., production-oriented agroforestry (7.63%), restoration agroforestry (3.92%), forest conservation (65.50%), and no-go/low-potential zone (22.95%). However, the HMF assumes equal contributions of the AHP and RF models, and alternative weighting schemes may produce different suitability patterns. Overall, the study demonstrates that HMF provides a balanced and risk-conscious framework that may support precision agroforestry planning and land-use decision-making in Himalayan ecosystems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking indigenous fodder preferences with nutritional quality: evidence from the Gujjar tribal community of the Northwestern Himalayas","authors":"Payal Jaryal,&nbsp;Rohit Bishist,&nbsp;Subhash Sharma,&nbsp;Kamal Kishore,&nbsp;Rishav Sharma,&nbsp;Funchok Norbu Negi,&nbsp;Kashish Rana,&nbsp;Samridhi Kapoor,&nbsp;Ghanshyam Singh","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01654-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01654-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agroforestry enhances livestock-based agricultural systems by supplying nutritious fodder and strengthening overall system resilience. In India, tribal communities rely heavily on livestock for their livelihoods, making fodder preference crucial for sustaining productivity. However, systematic documentation of indigenous knowledge alongside scientific validation of fodder species remains limited. The present study, conducted in the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, aimed to document the fodder species preferred by the Gujjar tribe, assess their nutritional value, and examine the relationship between farmers' preferences and nutritional attributes using data collected through semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions, and laboratory analysis. A total of 25 fodder species were identified, including trees, cultivated fodder crops, grasses, herbs, and shrubs. <i>Grewia optiva</i> ranked highest in preference, followed by <i>Celtis australis, Robinia pseudoacacia, Zea mays</i> and <i>Quercus leucotrichophora</i>. Nutritional analysis showed that dry matter content ranged from 21.74 to 55.12%. The highest crude protein was recorded in <i>Fagopyrum dibotrys</i> (18.10%) and the highest crude fibre in <i>Quercus semecarpifolia</i> (38.63%). The maximum total digestible nutrients were noted for <i>Triticum aestivum</i> (66.22%), while the minimum was in <i>Q. semecarpifolia</i> (51.71%). Significant correlations were observed between fodder preference and key nutritional parameters, with positive associations for crude protein and calcium, and negative associations for fibre fractions. The results indicate that indigenous knowledge closely aligns with scientific measures of fodder quality, highlighting its relevance in fodder development and sustainable livestock production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A common-garden evaluation of geographically diverse American elderberry genotypes selected for varying polyphenol profiles","authors":"Andrew L. Thomas,&nbsp;Patrick L. Byers,&nbsp;Hazrah Moothoo,&nbsp;Jamie Finley,&nbsp;Wendy Applequist,&nbsp;Andrew Townesmith,&nbsp;Karen M. Walker,&nbsp;Paula N. Brown","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01653-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01653-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>American elderberry (<i>Sambucus nigra</i> subsp. <i>canadensis</i>) is an increasingly popular specialty crop, primarily grown in North America for use of flowers and fruits in dietary supplements and foods. Elderberry is a versatile shrubby species, with excellent utility in a variety of agroforestry systems, and provides important ecosystem services. Little is known about the genetic diversity of American elderberry, especially in terms of horticultural attributes and beneficial metabolites. A previous project sampled wild germplasm from the eastern and midwestern United States. Fruit from these samples was analyzed for polyphenol profiles, after which propagules of accessions of interest were collected for further study. Eighteen geographically diverse accessions, along with three standard cultivars, were brought into replicated, randomized, common-garden plantings in southwest Missouri, USA. The objective was to assess genetic diversity, breeding potential, and genetic and environmental influences on polyphenol profiles. Horticultural data were quantified across four years, and fruit samples were analyzed for polyphenol profile over two years. Most horticultural parameters varied significantly across factors of genotype, site, and year. Among genotypes, budbreak varied 32 days and peak flowering ranged 21 days. Plant height also showed considerable variation among genotypes, ranging from 0.96–1.84 m. Noting that the accessions were selected for phytochemical diversity rather than horticultural potential, fruit yields ranged from 0.72–5.88 kg/plot (plot = 2.23 m², containing two plants). Among five anthocyanins and seven flavonols / phenylpropanoids quantified, statistical differences in metabolite production were found among genotypes in all cases. This snapshot of the genetic diversity among horticultural and metabolomic factors within American elderberry underscores the potential for breeders to select various traits of interest as the crop continues to develop.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01653-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecological-socioeconomic trade-offs in coffee agroforestry: a comparative systematic review of Ethiopia and China and a dual-pathway transition framework","authors":"Tamirat Solomon,&nbsp;Chun-Mei Zhu,&nbsp;Rong Huang,&nbsp;Kuai-Le Jiang,&nbsp;Xue-Jun Li,&nbsp;Xiao-Rui Sun","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01652-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01652-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Coffee agroforestry systems (CAFS) are multifunctional land-use systems that simultaneously support agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem services provision. However, comparative understanding of how ecological, market, and governance contexts shape ecological-socioeconomic trade-offs and transition pathways remains limited. This study conducted a PRISMA 2020-guided systematic review of peer-reviewed literature comparing CAFS in Ethiopia, the center of origin of <i>Coffee arabica</i>, and Yunnan, China, the countries principal coffee producing region. Evidence was synthesized across four analytical dimensions: ecological structure, ecosystem service, market organization and governance regimes. Ethiopian CAFS are characterized by high ecological complexity, storing up to 320 Mg C ha⁻¹ under native shade, but are constrained by fragmented value chains, and limited institutional support. In contrast, Chinese CAFS follow demonstrate strong governance and market integration, resulting in rapid ecosystem recovery, including a 64% increase in microbial biomass within four years of shade establishment, despite simplified canopy structure. These contrasting yet complementary pathways reveal persistent trade-offs between ecological integrity and production intensification. This study proposes the Dual Pathway Coffee Agroforestry Transition Model (DP-CATM), as an evidence-based framework linking ecological structure, governance, and market organization to guide context-specific, climate-resilient coffee agroforestry transitions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reconciling carbon removals, greenhouse gas emissions, and yield in cocoa agroforestry systems of the Colombian Orinoquía","authors":"Argenis Mora Garces,&nbsp;Yeferson Moreno Guerra,&nbsp;Andrés Felipe Ramírez,&nbsp;David Ricardo Hernández Angarita,&nbsp;Allende Pesca Moreno","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01645-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01645-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Complex cocoa agroforestry systems (AFS) may store carbon while sustaining production, but net climate assessment requires carbon pools, management-related emissions, and yield to be evaluated in the same farms. We quantified these components in 33 cocoa AFS in Arauca and Meta, Colombian Orinoquía, and tested whether structural–functional typologies differed in age-normalized CO₂ removals, greenhouse gas emissions, and dry-bean yield. Biomass was estimated from tree inventories and allometric equations; leaf litter, necromass, and soil organic carbon were sampled in field plots. Biomass, litter, and necromass stocks were divided by system age and converted to CO₂ equivalents as cross-sectional annualized indicators. Management emissions were estimated from fertilizer, amendment, and fossil-fuel use. Principal component analysis followed by hierarchical clustering on principal components identified four typologies: cocoa-dominant/high-input, low-density/extensive, high-density/balanced-canopy, and shade-dominant/species-rich. The shade-dominant/species-rich group had the highest annualized removal indicator (37.34 ± 4.03 t CO₂eq ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), whereas the cocoa-dominant/high-input group had the highest emissions (2.72 ± 0.63 t CO₂eq ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). Mean yield did not differ significantly among typologies (632–938 kg dry beans ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), although the smallest group contained only three farms. All groups had positive post-establishment balances when biomass, litter, and necromass indicators were offset against management emissions. These balances exclude soil carbon change and land-use-change emissions; therefore, they describe the sampled AFS rather than full life-cycle mitigation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agroforestry in India: analysis and critical synthesis of environmental, economic, and institutional dimensions for policy support","authors":"Meraj Alam Ansari,&nbsp;Natesan Ravisankar,&nbsp;Himanshu Bargali,&nbsp;Himanshu Joshi,&nbsp;Meenu Rani,&nbsp;Mohammad Shamim,&nbsp;Ashisa Kumar Prusty,&nbsp;Raghuveer Singh,&nbsp;K. J. Raghavendra,&nbsp;Kusum Pandey,&nbsp;Mohd. Arif,&nbsp;Ragahavendra Singh,&nbsp;Sunil Kumar","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01644-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01644-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This systematic review and meta analyses synthesizes evidence from over 900 scientific studies to examine the current state, opportunities, and constraints of agroforestry as a multifunctional land-use strategy in India. Drawing on peer-reviewed literature, the review evaluates ecosystem services frameworks encompassing seven distinct subsets: soil enrichment, water resources, biodiversity conservation, microclimate regulation, climate change mitigation, food and nutritional security, and livelihood enhancement. The study highlights agroforestry’s significant contributions to environmental sustainability and rural development. Evidence shows that agroforestry can improve soil organic carbon by up to 39%, reduce erosion by 35–95%, enhance water use efficiency by up to 35%, and support carbon sequestration rates ranging from 0.29 to 19.14 Mg C/ha/year. Socioeconomic impacts are equally notable, with the potential to raise household incomes by 30–50% and boost farm revenues by up to 35%. Despite its proven benefits, widespread adoption remains limited due to institutional fragmentation, insecure tenure, weak extension services, market volatility, and gender inequities. The analysis reveals a disciplinary bias toward natural sciences, with policy and decision science domains underrepresented in current research. Regional disparities also persist, with certain agroecological zones being overstudied while others remain overlooked. The review highlights the importance of establishing standardized measurement frameworks, integrating spatial data systems, and implementing inclusive governance mechanisms. India’s recent initiatives, including the Green Credit Programme and updated Nationally Determined Contributions target, offer policy entry points for mainstreaming agroforestry, but require improved coordination across sectors and ministries. The study concludes by offering actionable recommendations for bridging ecological, economic, and institutional gaps emphasizing the importance of localized agroforestry models, participatory extension, long-term monitoring, and enabling incentives to scale agroforestry as a core component of India’s agenda for climate resilience and sustainable development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applying real options valuation to assess profitability of smallholder agroforestry investments in Ethiopia","authors":"Dagninet Amare,&nbsp;Dietrich Darr","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01635-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01635-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Profitability analysis plays a central role in evaluating agricultural investments and informing rural development policy. However, most financial assessments of smallholder farming systems rely on conventional discounted cash-flow techniques such as net present value (NPV), which assume fixed decision pathways and ignore managerial flexibility under uncertainty. Agroforestry (AF) investments are characterized by long production horizons, biological growth dynamics, volatile product markets, and flexible management options over time. These characteristics limit the ability of conventional financial appraisal methods to capture the true economic value of AF systems. This study applies a real options valuation (ROV) framework using a binomial option pricing model (BOPM) to evaluate the profitability of smallholder AF investments in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The analysis focuses on three commonly adopted tree-based systems: <i>Acacia decurrens</i> woodlots, <i>Yushania alpina</i> (highland bamboo) plantations, and <i>Eucalyptus globulus</i> woodlots. Using farm-level production, financial data, and market information collected from smallholders, conventional discounted cash-flow analysis is compared with option-based valuation results. The findings indicate that incorporating managerial flexibility significantly increases and changes the estimated economic value of AF investments relative to traditional NPV estimates. The results also highlight the importance of uncertainty in product prices, biological growth variability, and farmer decision flexibility when evaluating long-term tree-based investments. The study proposes seven (7) methodological guidelines for applying ROV in smallholder AF contexts, including practical approaches for estimating volatility, selecting discount rates, and structuring option decision trees. By adopting this customized BOPM, practitioners can better quantify the options for optimal market prices, significantly increasing the risk-adjusted returns for smallholder AF investment systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Greenhouse gas emissions from cocoa production systems in the Atlantic Forest, southern Bahia, Brazil","authors":"Danilo Gomes de Oliveira,&nbsp;João Carlos Medeiros,&nbsp;Jaqueline Dalla Rosa,&nbsp;Selma Regina Maggiotto,&nbsp;Paulo Cesar Lima Marrocos,&nbsp;Ivan Pereira Santos Silva,&nbsp;Maria Caroline Aguiar Amaral,&nbsp;Beata Emoke Madari","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01613-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01613-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to characterize greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in different cocoa production systems and correlate them with soil quality attributes in the Atlantic Forest biome. The research was conducted in the experimental area of the Executive Commission of the Cocoa Farming Plan (CEPLAC) in Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. The land-use systems analyzed were full-sun cocoa with Fabaceae cover crops (CFs); full-sun cocoa with <i>Urochloa decumbens</i> cover crops (CBs); full-sun cocoa with spontaneous vegetation cover (CVE); an agroforestry cocoa system of the <i>cabruca</i> type (SAFCAB); an agroforestry cocoa system with rubber trees (SAFSE); and a natural forest (FOREST). GHG flux monitoring was carried out twice in 2022 using the static chamber method. The chambers were constructed from plastic buckets, and the internal volume of each chamber was previously measured to enable the calculation of gas fluxes. Soil samples were collected at 0–0.10 m depth for the analysis of ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrate (NO₃⁻), soil bulk density, soil moisture, and water-filled pore space (WFPS). Gas samples were collected using a manual vacuum sampling pump, and the gas was transferred to storage vials and subsequently transported to the laboratory, where GHG concentrations were determined by gas chromatography. Negative CH₄ fluxes were recorded in the CF, CVE, and SAFCAB systems during the high-rainfall period, with mean values of − 4.08, − 0.98, and − 5.98 mg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. The forest showed a positive flux of 6.50 mg m⁻² h⁻¹. Regarding CO₂, SAFCAB and the forest presented the highest mean fluxes, 1.13 and 0.70 g m⁻² h⁻¹. CVE showed the lowest value, 0.49 g m⁻² h⁻¹. All cultivated systems emitted N₂. O into the atmosphere, with no evidence of gas uptake. Among the agroforestry systems, SAFSE presented the lowest GHG fluxes, while SAFCAB showed unexpectedly elevated CO₂ emissions attributed to litter accumulation and microclimatic conditions favorable to organic matter decomposition. These findings provide new insights into how cocoa management systems influence soil GHG dynamics and highlight the contrasting environmental profiles of different agroforestry arrangements in tropical cocoa landscapes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01613-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148928115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tree-crop interaction in Oryza sativa-based riverine agroforestry systems of Chhattisgarh, Central India: implications for climate-smart farming and food security","authors":"K. K. Chandra,&nbsp;Arun Kumar Shukla,&nbsp;Atul Kumar Bhardwaj,&nbsp;Rajesh Kumar,&nbsp;Chowlani Manpoong,&nbsp;A. K. Singh,&nbsp;Rajdeep Chanda,&nbsp;Shri Kant Tripathi","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01614-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01614-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Riverine agroforestry is a dynamic farming system along riverbanks that contributes to climate-resilient agriculture; however, trees often exert strong negative interactions with crops through light interception due to their dense, persistent canopies. This study quantified the effects of bund trees (i.e., <i>Acacia nilotica</i>, <i>Butea monosperma, Mangifera indica, Terminalia arjuna,</i> and <i>Terminalia tomentosa</i>) on paddy (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) yield in the Lilagar River bank of Chhattisgarh, Central India. More specifically, the effects of tree diameter and stem density of the most dominant tree species, such as <i>T. arjuna</i>, were assessed. The assessment was made using 1 m² quadrats established at different distances (i.e., 2, 8, 15, and 25 m) from bund tree bases. A total of 480 trees and 3,840 sample plots were assessed using a nested, stratified, and systematic sampling design. Tree species, diameter, density, and distance significantly affected rice yield (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). Mean annual grain yield increased from 3.64 t ha⁻¹ at 2 m to 5.52 t ha⁻¹ at 25 m distance, indicating a 34% reduction in rice yield near tree bases. Further, a greater yield reduction (42.5%) was observed under larger-diameter trees compared with smaller ones. High tree density (40–60 trees ha⁻¹) reduced yield by 66.5% near tree bases, whereas lower densities substantially minimised yield losses. In conclusion, selecting trees with smaller canopies, maintaining low stem densities (20 trees ha⁻¹), and regular pruning and/or removing larger trees are recommended to optimise rice yield and food security in the region.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IoT-based monitoring workflow for continuous analysis of apple ripening delay and maturation patterns under agrivoltaics","authors":"Sergio Vélez,&nbsp;Tamara Bretzel,&nbsp;Rhea Pöter,&nbsp;Matthew F. Berwind,&nbsp;Max Trommsdorff","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01636-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01636-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agrivoltaic systems, combining solar energy generation with agricultural activities, offer a sustainable approach to maximising land efficiency. However, these systems can present challenges, such as potential shading effects that may impact fruit quality or crop yields. This study evaluated the impact of overhead agrivoltaic systems on apple (<i>Malus domestica</i> L. cv. Gala) ripening and maturation patterns in a temperate orchard near Lake Constance, Germany. Experiments compared apples grown under conventional conditions (control) with those under agrivoltaic setups equipped with semi-transparent photovoltaic panels utilizing spatially distributed cells for 40% light transparency installed with a 70% ground-coverage ratio. Key metrics, including fruit diameter, length, volume, and BBCH phenology stages, were monitored throughout the 2024 growing season. An IoT-based monitoring workflow was developed, combining fixed RGB image acquisition, automatic apple detection, colour-based ripening quantification, and time-series analysis to monitor visible maturation dynamics under field conditions. Results indicated that apples under agrivoltaic conditions showed delayed visible red-colour development, reaching comparable image-derived colour-maturity thresholds approximately 10–12 days later than the control group. On September 13 (harvest), no significant differences were found in mean length, while the diameter of agrivoltaic apples was significantly smaller (65.59 mm versus 70.98 mm), indicating slightly smaller dimensions under shaded conditions. Fruit volume and weight were approximately 16% lower under agrivoltaic conditions, averaging 161.16 cm³ (138.6 g) versus 191.58 cm³ (164.8 g) in the control. The delayed visible maturation was consistent with reduced light availability under the solar panels, although fruit-level light availability and physiological maturity indicators were not directly measured. These findings suggest that overhead agrivoltaic systems can significantly delay apple phenology and fruit maturation. Depending on the agricultural goals, the desired harvest timing and the cultivar, this may be challenging or beneficial, e.g., if it adapts the crop against climate change impacts or other factors such as local climate conditions, latitude and geographic region, and market demand. Integrating IoT-based monitoring with machine learning enhances the precision of agricultural assessments, providing valuable data for managing the effects of agrivoltaic systems on crop development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01636-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}