Agroforestry for sustainable multifunctional agriculture (FORMULA)
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Project title |
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Agroforestry for sustainable multifunctional agriculture (FORMULA) |
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Short description |
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Agroforestry systems are widely adopted in tropical countries but are currently rarely practiced in temperate regions. Since these mixed cropping systems are believed to be more resilient to drought and heat stress compared to monocropping systems, agroforestry may gain importance in the future due to climate change. This project is part of a larger research initiative aimed at exploring the potential of agroforestry systems in temperate conditions. The specific objectives of this sub-project are to investigate productivity gradients and resource use efficiency in agroforestry systems. To achieve this, we conduct experiments at two locations, where annual crops (winter wheat, maize, and winter rye) are cultivated between tree rows positioned across slopes. First, we examine resource use efficiency (radiation, water, and nutrients) along gradients perpendicular to the tree rows. This involves monitoring and analyzing growth, biomass formation, yields, physiological vegetation indices, photosynthetic performance, nutrient uptake, and physiological indicators of water stress. Second, we evaluate the impact of varying management practices (e.g., crop variety, fertilizer application) on resource use efficiency along these gradients, with a specific emphasis on indicators of nutrient use efficiency. This project investigates yield and resource use efficiency gradients in a temperate agroforestry system with unprecedented detail, thereby promoting the broader adoption of agroforestry as a strategy to safeguard food security in the context of global change. |
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Project duration |
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2024 – 2028 |
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Staff involved |
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Michael Frei, Brian Daniel Ongia |
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Collaboration partners |
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Leibniz Zentrum für Agrarlandschaftsforschung (ZALF) Chair of Landscape, Water and Biogeochemical Cycles (JLU) |
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Funding |
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Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) |