Introductory Agroforestry

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR MPTS

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR MPTS

• Having chosen the forestry and agricultural components of an agroforestry system suited to the site, the management strategy which maximizes the value of the system must be developed.
• Probably the most important factor affecting the management strategy is the nature of the relationship between the over-storey of trees and the under-storey agricultural crops.
• Management in horizontal dimension (water and nutrient limiting)
• Changing spacing
• Zonal arrangement-Macro/micro
• Mixed cropping
• Management in vertical dimension (light limiting, nutrient and moisture in plenty)
• Growing species at different times
• Growing species of different heights in such manner that smaller mature before tallest one
• Under storey crops can be given extra light at certain times of the year depending upon leaf fall or by tree pruning
• Growing species which attains similar heights but with different life cycle
• Management in time dimension
• If component not fully utilize environmental resources available throughout the year, yield can be increased skillfully by:
• Choosing species and cultivars according to phenology, stature, habit, produce etc.
• Staggering planting, relay planting etc
• Management practices: (for tree crops)
• Initial tree spacing
• Management practices
• Thinning, pruning, coppicing, pollarding, bending, bushing etc

INITIAL SPACING

• Dependent on growth rate of the trees
• Final crop stock depends on
• Relative value of the tree and agriculture crops
• Environmental factors affecting availability of nutrients, moisture and soil space
• Latitude and aspect which affect the availability of incoming radiation
• Performance of tree crop
• Performance of agriculture crop
• Management considerations-machinery
• Personal preferences