Article
Agronomy
Zerihun Misgana, Weyessa Garedew, Yibekal Alemayehu, Zelalem Bekeko, Amsalu Nebiyu
Summary: This study aimed to assess the determinants of Arabica coffee yield and farmers' preferences for shade tree species in the Jimma zone of southwestern Ethiopia. The results indicated that socioeconomic and biophysical factors such as gender, education level, family size, coffee-growing experience, coffee farm size, weed management practices, disease, and insect pests were found to be determinants of coffee yield. Farmers in the region prefer coffee shade trees with long heights, wider crown shapes, and evergreen leaves throughout the growing season.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Merkebu Getachew, Kassaye Tolassa, Pieter De Frenne, Kris Verheyen, Ayco J. M. Tack, Kristoffer Hylander, Biruk Ayalew, Pascal Boeckx
Summary: This study demonstrates the relationship between soil temperatures and chemistry in coffee bean quality and green bean biochemical compositions. The results show that coffee bean quality is negatively correlated to soil temperatures, while quality and biochemical attributes are positively correlated to soil chemistry. Therefore, climate change could have a negative impact on the quality and biochemistry of coffee beans.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Gabriela M. Garcia, Colin M. Orians
Summary: Like many perennial crops, coffee exhibits alternate bearing, a pattern of reproduction in which high-yielding years are followed by low-yielding ones. This study explores the underlying mechanisms of alternate bearing in coffee and the potential for farm management to mitigate it using the resource budget model. The results show that high fruit load affects multiple reproductive traits in coffee plants. While moderate shade and increased fertilizer levels improve reproductive traits, their impact on mitigating the reproductive tradeoffs of alternate bearing is limited.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Merkebu Getachew, Kris Verheyen, Kassaye Tolassa, Ayco J. M. Tack, Kristoffer Hylander, Biruk Ayalew, Pascal Boeckx, Dries Landuyt, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: Shade trees are widely used in coffee production systems and can have significant impacts on soil biogeochemistry and coffee bean quality. However, quantitative data on these effects are scarce. This study found that N-fixing shade tree species had a negative impact on soil pH and base cation concentrations, while Albizia gummifera L. enhanced phosphorus availability. The study highlights the importance of careful selection and integration of shade tree species for sustaining soil chemical properties in coffee agroecosystems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Daniel Soares Ferreira, Matheus Eduardo da Silva Oliveira, Wilian Rodrigues Ribeiro, Cristhiane Altoe Filete, Dalyse Toledo Castanheira, Brunno Cesar Pereira Rocha, Aldemar Polonini Moreli, Emanuele Catarina da Silva Oliveira, Rogerio Carvalho Guarconi, Fabio Luiz Partelli, Lucas Louzada Pereira
Summary: This study analyzed the influence of environmental conditions on the quality of Arabica coffee and found that higher altitude and afternoon sun exposure resulted in better coffee quality. On the other hand, lower altitude and morning sun exposure showed a greater correlation with physical and sensory quality parameters.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kun Hao, Xiaogang Liu, Xiukang Wang, Liangjun Fei, Lihua Liu, Feilong Jie, Yilin Li, Qiliang Yang, Yunhui Shan
Summary: Reasonable water and light management technology has a positive impact on the economic benefits, coffee yield, and quality. The study found that the shade cultivation treatments had significant effects on growth, crop yield, photosynthetic characteristics, and nutritional quality. A specific management method was identified to achieve the best coffee quality in a subtropical monsoon climate region.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Athina Koutouleas, Thuan Sarzynski, Melanie Bordeaux, Aske Skovmand Bosselmann, Claudine Campa, Herve Etienne, Nerea Turreira-Garcia, Clement Rigal, Philippe Vaast, Jose Cochicho Ramalho, Pierre Marraccini, Anders Raebild
Summary: This review summarizes recent research on the effects of agroforestry systems on coffee production, including farmers' use and perceptions, coffee microenvironment, pest and disease incidence, carbon assimilation and phenology of coffee plants, coffee quality attributes, breeding of new coffee varieties, and coffee production under climate change. The study aims to determine whether shaded systems are a feasible strategy to improve coffee crop sustainability under challenging climate conditions.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jesus Hernando Gomez, Pablo Benavides, Juan Diego Maldonado, Juliana Jaramillo, Flor Edith Acevedo, Zulma Nancy Gil
Summary: This study investigated the role of flower-visiting insects in the pollination of self-pollinating plants, specifically coffee. The results showed that insects contributed significantly to coffee berry set, yield, and weight of beans. However, there was no difference in the sensory quality of coffee produced with or without insect pollination.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Alicia Maria Rendon-Mera, David Camilo Corrales, Gustavo Antonio Penuela Mesa
Summary: Coffee quality improvement and measurement are closely related to various methods and factors. Analytical chemistry methods are widely used for evaluating different types of coffee quality, with cup quality and biochemical composition being the most studied attributes. Coffea arabica is the most researched species and green coffee is the commonly used sample. Quality control receives more attention in the postharvest stage, while management practices stand out in the preharvest stage. Evaluation research is the most used research type.
JOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Geraldine Mary Tilden, Jonah Nugu Aranka, George Nicolas Curry
Summary: This paper investigates the labour efficiencies and socio-cultural benefits of agroforestry for coffee smallholders who practice low input production strategies. The study reveals that labour shortages and low farm inputs hinder productivity for smallholders in Papua New Guinea. To address these challenges, the study explores the potential of shade-grown coffee to generate labour efficiencies and partially compensate for other farm inputs. The paper emphasizes the need for a holistic coffee extension approach that considers smallholder families' diverse livelihoods and aligns with the low input production strategy to promote the resilience, sustainability, and cultural enrichment of coffee-based farming systems.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2023)
Review
Agronomy
Vania Torrez, Camila Benavides-Frias, Johanna Jacobi, Chinwe Ifejika Speranza
Summary: With increasing importance of both coffee quality and sustainability, there is a growing interest in understanding the impact of ecological quality on coffee quality. Based on 78 studies, this analysis for the first time examines the evidence that biodiversity and ecosystem functions affect the quality of Coffea arabica and C. canephora. It is recommended that measures of ecological quality be included in the overall definition of coffee quality.
AGRONOMY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fernando Jeronimo, Isabela G. Varassin
Summary: This paper investigates how landscape structure can influence coffee production at different scales, and evaluates the predictive utility of landscape metrics. The study finds that the composition of the landscape surrounding coffee farms helps predict production in a spatially explicit approach, but these metrics cannot detect the impact of the landscape in an aspatial approach. The findings highlight the importance of landscape spatial structure in the stability of coffee production.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Daranee Jareemit, Manat Srivanit
Summary: This study investigates the impact of shade structures on thermal comfort in Thai street markets. The results show that tree canopies provide better cooling effects compared to artificial shade structures. Galvanized steel roofing and HDPE tarpaulin plastic roofing shades are more effective than polycarbonate roofing shade. Spaces under sparse tree canopies have the highest temperatures. The temperature reductions beneath the artificial shade structure vary throughout the day.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brent R. Campos, Chris J. Smith, Matthew D. Johnson
Summary: Through a study on the home range utilization of 47 Black-throated Blue Warblers in two coffee farms in Jamaica, it was found that birds selected areas with high coffee shrub cover and high canopy cover. However, when the canopy cover of the coffee farm reached a certain high level, the use of the coffee layer itself decreased, reducing their ability to consume the coffee berry borer.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Marcel van Oijen, Jeremy Haggar, Mirna Barrios, Lucie Buchi, Rolando Cerda, Stefania Cerretelli, Erick Lopez, Elias de Melo Virginio Filho, Alejandra Ospina
Summary: The goal of sustainable coffee production requires a comprehensive understanding of the functions and services provided by agroforestry systems. However, the lack of quantifiable data makes it challenging to select appropriate shade tree species and agronomic management practices. This study introduces and applies a coffee agroforestry model (CAF2021) that can simulate various ecosystem services and disservices. By calibrating the model with data from different experiments and farms, the researchers were able to analyze the relationships among yield, fertilization, shading, and other ecosystem services.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Elise Audouin, Mariana Odru, Dominique Masse, Gualbert Seraphin Dorego, Valerie Delaunay, Philippe Lecomte, Jonathan Vayssieres
Summary: Agricultural intensification is important for food security and limiting rural exodus in sub-Saharan Africa. Livestock farming has the potential to improve the sustainability of farming systems, but landscape-level studies are rare. By considering the interactions between animals, crops, and trees, the landscape level is the only level where the impacts of livestock farming can be fully understood. This study developed a methodology to compare different livestock systems based on territorial metabolism and sustainability indicators.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Idsert Jelsma, Turinah, Frederic Gay, Jean Ollivier, Bruno Rapidel
Summary: Our study aims to analyze the resilience of farmer organizations in the Ophir plantation during replanting. By examining a 40-year period in five farmer cooperatives, we provide unique insights on the dynamics that influence the resilience of farmer organizations, shed light on smallholder oil palm replanting strategies, and draw several key lessons from this case.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maria Rodriguez-Barillas, Laurens Klerkx, P. Marijn Poortvliet
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alexis Thoumazeau, Romane Mettauer, Turinah, Heri Junedi, Victor Baron, Cecile Cheron-Bessou, Jean Ollivier
Summary: This study investigates the effects of fertilization and understory vegetation management on soil health and oil palm performances. It aimed to isolate and decipher the specific effects of some key practices on the overall plantation performances.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Pritha Datta, Bhagirath Behera, Dil Bahadur Rahut
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the potential of South Asian agroforestry systems as a viable agroecological approach for ensuring farmers' food security. A systematic literature review found that out of 95 reviewed studies, only nine focused on food security and none of them examined all four dimensions of food security simultaneously. Moreover, the majority of studies were skewed towards the Himalayan belt and lacked quantitative measurement, making it challenging to determine the significance of this field.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Octave Lacroix, Francoise Lescourret, Michel Genard, Mohamed-Mahmoud Memah, Gilles Vercambre, Pierre Valsesia, Daniele Bevacqua, Isabelle Grechi
Summary: In this study, a pest-crop model was developed to examine the impact of multiple pests on fruit tree functioning and ecosystem services provided by orchards. Through simulations and analysis, it was found that pests significantly affected indicators such as fruit sugar content, marketable yield, carbon sequestration, and water drainage.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Malve Heinz, Valeria Galetti, Annelie Holzka
Summary: This paper presents an innovative approach for identifying climate-adapted alternative food crops that can help diversify existing cropping systems, increase their climate resilience, and contribute to nutritious plant-based regional diets with reduced emissions.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Vianny Ahimbisibwe, Eliza Zhunusova, Habtemariam Kassa, Sven Guenter
Summary: This study examines the technical efficiency levels of home gardens and woodlot systems in Ethiopia and investigates the factors that contribute to technical efficiency.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Robert Huber, Bartosz Bartkowski, Calum Brown, Nadja El Benni, Jan-Henning Feil, Pascal Grohmann, Ineke Joormann, Heidi Leonhardt, Hermine Mitter, Birgit Mueller
Summary: Farm typologies help identify patterns in farm systems and support agricultural policy design, but they are often developed without much connection to previous studies and policy making.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mina Devkota, Krishna Prasad Devkota, Gokul Prasad Paudel, Timothy J. Krupnik, Andrew James McDonald
Summary: Wheat production in the Terai region of Nepal has not met the increasing demand, with low average productivity and high spatial and temporal variability. This study identifies strategies for closing yield gaps through field surveys, on-farm experiments, and simulation models. The results suggest that improving agronomic practices, such as fertilization and irrigation management, can significantly increase wheat productivity.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Angie Haslem, Andrew F. Bennett, James Q. Radford
Summary: This study integrates knowledge on the benefits and disbenefits of (semi)natural vegetation on farms for achieving six objectives, and develops a conceptual model of the relationships between these objectives and different types of vegetation. The results show that (semi)natural vegetation provides more benefits than disbenefits, with greater support for the benefits of native vegetation. Farm-level restoration contributes towards reversing vegetation loss, but the process takes time. Management practices play a role in enhancing the benefits of (semi)natural vegetation.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Aymeric Mondiere, Michael S. Corson, Julie Auberger, Daphne Durant, Sylvain Foray, Jean-Francois Glinec, Penny Green, Sandra Novak, Frederic Signoret, Hayo M. G. van der Werf
Summary: This study assessed the productivity and environmental impacts of different livestock production systems and found that biodiversity-friendly systems perform better in terms of environmental impact. The results emphasize the importance of considering the multiple functions and overall environmental performance of these systems.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Nadine Andrieu, Elodie Dorey, Steewy Lakhia, Paul Meynard, Esther Hatil, Loic Normand, Jean-Luc Gourdine, Jean-Christophe Bambou
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Philipp Loew, Bernhard Osterburg
Summary: This study evaluated the nitrogen performance of the German agricultural sector and identified the potential for nitrogen utilization in different farm types. The study also revealed the relationships between nitrogen performance and independent variables such as soil fertility, crop selection and diversity, production type, operating profit, and consulting services received.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Rika Ratna Sari, Lisa Tanika, Erika N. Speelman, Danny Dwi Saputra, Arief Lukman Hakim, Danae M. A. Rozendaal, Kurniatun Hairiah, Meine van Noordwijk
Summary: This study aims to clarify the design principles of the FORCES game and apply it to diverse watershed contexts. The game design balances generic and site-specific information, and the performance and impact of the game are evaluated through testing and assessment.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2024)