Agrobiodiversity Research Articles

Living Links Connecting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Small-scale Farmers and Agricultural Biodiversity

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 adopted by the global community in September 2015 are applicable to all countries with the commitment “that no one is left behind.” As an agenda for “people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership”, Agenda 2030 provides a vision for people and planet-centered, human rights-based, and gender-sensitive sustainable development. It promises “more peaceful and inclusive societies” which are free from fear and violence.
 Small scale farmers and agricultural biodiversity are critical to the achievement of aspects of most of the SDGs. In addition to being essential for the resilience and stability of agricultural production systems and our ability to adapt to climate change and other stressors; agricultural biodiversity is fundamental to the livelihoods, health and nutrition of billions Despite its importance to the health of both people and the planet, this broad understanding of what agricultural biological diversity is and the critical role played by its custodians, gets no explicit mention in the SDGs. In fact, awareness of this is low outside specialized institutions and agreements and explicit mention of both is rare in the context of sustainable development
 This paper uses the example of small-scale farmers and agricultural biodiversity to illustrate how they are the living links amongst the SDGs as well as being critical components in their achievement and to the vision of Agenda 2030.

Agricultural intensification was associated with crop diversification in India (1947-2014).

Declines in agricultural biodiversity associated with modern farming practices may negatively affect the sustainability of agro-ecosystems, but formal knowledge of historical variation in spatio-temporal variation of agro-biodiversity is limited. We used time series of national (1947–2014) and district-level (1956–2008) crop distribution data for India to show that despite strong agricultural intensification after 1960, the average crop species diversity at the district level was stable, but increased at the country-level. While there was a decline in diversity in the major rice and wheat producing regions of northwestern India, associated with intensification of the production of these crops, diversity in western and southern India increased due to expansion of oilseeds and horticultural crops that replaced millet and sorghum. These opposite, but related, trends in crop-level diversity at the sub-national level partially canceled each other out at national level, but there nevertheless was a noticeable increase in overall crop diversity in India during this time period. Our results illustrate how patterns of change in crop diversity need to be considered at different levels of aggregation, and how a decrease in diversity associated with intensification and specialization in one area, may be associated with increased diversity elsewhere, and that support for intensive agriculture with relatively low crop diversity in some regions may be associated with an increase in crop diversity in other regions and at a higher level of aggregation.

Sustainability governance of the Danish bioeconomy \u2014 the case of bioenergy and biomaterials from agriculture

BackgroundThe EU bioeconomy strategy aims to accelerate the European bioeconomy and its contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. National policies and strategies in many countries promote their bioeconomies. The importance of agricultural crops and residues as raw materials for the bioeconomy is increasingly recognised, but agricultural production also contributes to large impacts on nature and environment. With the aim of assessing the governance measures and their effectiveness in addressing the sustainability of bioenergy and biofuel production, the purpose of this study was to map the governance complex relevant to agricultural crop production in Denmark, and to identify the achievements, challenges and lessons learned.MethodsThe analysis is based on a review and assessment of publicly available databases, inventory reports and scientific literature on governance measures and their effectiveness. Governance here includes a variety of legislation, agreements, conventions and standardisation. Environmental sustainability is represented by greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, soil carbon, water quality and biodiversity.ResultsThe agricultural sector has a significant impact on Danish climate performance and on landscapes in the form of soil carbon losses, leaching of nutrients to water bodies and pressures on biodiversity. The governance complex addressing these issues is made up of a variety of state regulation and co-regulation between state and firms, state and NGOs, or NGOs and firms. Much regulation is adopted from EU directives and implemented nationally.ConclusionsThe analysis found that greenhouse gas emission is a virtually unregulated field and additional regulation is required to live up to Denmark’s 2030 emission reduction targets. The regulatory framework for soil carbon is criticised for its complexity, its competing instruments and its recognition procedures of voluntary co-regulation. For water quality governance measures in place have improved water quality, but it is still difficult to achieve the goals of the Water Framework Directive. It remains a challenge to protect biodiversity in agriculture. Biodiversity is mainly governed by national and supranational regulation, but co-regulating between state and firms and NGOs and firms have been initiated in the framework of the Agricultural Agreement.

Does vegetation complexity within intensive agricultural landscape affect rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) assemblages?

ABSTRACTIncreasing agricultural biodiversity can significantly affect many beneficial arthropods including rove beetles. They are important organisms in a wide range of habitats including agricultural and can be valuable agents in biological control. In this preliminary study we looked into how a floristically rich habitat for rove beetles functions in comparison to an adjacent maize crop which provides an unsuitable habitat for a majority of beneficial organisms. We assumed that the sowing of plant mixture might add to the richness of species and produce an abundance of rove beetles, and therefore increase their role in biological pest control. Beetles were trapped over two vegetation seasons in the experiment performed in Poland in 2013–2014. Individuals were identified to species level and classified according to their trophic group. In general, a more botanically diverse habitat resulted in more species rich beetle populations. A significantly greater number of species and individuals of beetles occurred in the plant mixture in comparison to the maize crop. The abundance and species richness increased after one year in both treatments. This might suggest that the positive effect of a more diverse habitat carries over into subsequent vegetation seasons. The species similarity coefficient indicates periodic migration of beetles from the plant mixture to maize crop. Considering trophic preferences, significantly more predators and fungivores occurred in more diverse habitats, while more parasitoids occurred in the maize crop. In conclusion, mixtures of flowering plants can increase rove beetle assemblages in arable crops.

Cooking up Diverse Diets: Advancing Biodiversity in Food and Agriculture through Collaborations with Chefs

ABSTRACTBiodiversity in and across food and agriculture systems provides tremendous value to present and future generations. However, across the world we are losing genes, species, and ecosystems faster than we can account for them. With one million plant and animal species at risk of extinction, our society is challenged to address the drivers of ecosystem degradation and species loss. Increasingly, the negative impacts of agriculture and food systems on biodiversity are being raised as well as the global risks to health associated with unhealthy diets. Recent efforts in North America to raise awareness of crop diversity and coordinate plant conservation efforts culminated in a symposium with botanic gardens, agricultural researchers, wild land managers, conservation organizations, academics, and government bodies. The gathering focused primarily on production‐side solutions such as crop diversity, crop wild relative conservation, and agricultural education. Although not present at the symposium, chefs were commonly highlighted and discussed as key collaborators in plant conservation through their important role in connecting consumers to agriculture production and new food plants. This paper shares examples of chefs and culinary programs working to impact agriculture, diets, and plant diversity. To critically assess which chef and culinary programs are having the greatest impact future researched is needed, but as we race to save plant species from extinction, it is clear that chefs connect to consumers in unique ways and are important potential allies in cooking up new sustainable consumption and production patterns that support biodiversity in food systems.

On-farm Conservation Approaches for Agricultural Biodiversity in Nepal

Agricultural biodiversity is the basis for agricultural research and development. This paper is based on the survey across the country along with the field implementation and action research on different conservation approaches over the years and locations. Management of agricultural biodiversity is being initiated in Nepal through ex-situ, on-farm, in-situ and breeding strategies by National Agriculture Genetic Resources Center (National Genebank) from 2010. National Genebank has implemented on-farm conservation across the country. Different approaches are community seed bank, community field genebank, household seed bank, household field genebank, village level field genebank and school field genebank. In addition to these, landrace enhancement program and recognition of agro-biodiversity rich farmers have also contributed on conserving APGRs. Identification of agro-biodiversity rich farmers have been initiated in collaboration with different governmental and non-governmental organizations across the country. Strong network among these farmers is supposed to establish for effectively managing APGRs on-farm. Agro-biodiversity conserved by such farmers is called household genebank, which consist of seed storage (household seed bank) and household field genebank. There are more than 100 CSBs in the country and some of them are conserving local genetic resources. Eight community field genebanks have been functionalized for conserving recalcitrant seeds and vegetatively propagated crop species. Village level field genebank has been established by NGO in Makwanpur district to conserve banana and taro. In this approach, different households grow different landraces, maintaining maximum diversity within a village. In some areas, school field genebank has been established by growing local APGRs in school areas. This helps to conserve APGRs, educate the students, earn the income and make environment beautiful. Genebank also encourages farmers to reintroduce the landraces from the National Genebank. Accessioning these APGRs and training to farmers and farming communities are necessary to effectively and efficiently conserving and utilizing APGRs on-farm.

Resilience of ecological functions to drought in an oil palm agroecosystem

Oil palm is a major habitat in the tropics. It is highly productive and contributes substantially to the economies of producing countries, but its expansion has caused widespread deforestation, with negative consequences for biodiversity. Such biodiversity losses may have substantial impacts on ecosystem functions within oil palm and resilience of functions to changing rainfall patterns, with impacts on yield. However, although the direct effects of water deficit on yield have been studied, little work has investigated ecosystem processes within plantations or the resilience of functions to changing rainfall. We conducted ecosystem function experiments within mature oil palm at the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Tropical Agriculture (BEFTA) Programme site in Sumatra, Indonesia. We measured rates of leaf litter decomposition, seed removal, mealworm predation, and herbivory at multiple time points spanning the 2015–2016 El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event that caused widespread drought within Southeast Asia. We found that mealworm predation, seed removal, and decomposition rates were high, whilst herbivory levels were low, indicating a healthy ecosystem with high levels of pest control and organic matter breakdown. Exclusion tests showed that the presence of invertebrates was associated with higher levels of seed removal and decomposition and the presence of vertebrates with higher predation. All functions were relatively robust to changes in rainfall. Yet, whilst seed removal and herbivory did not alter with rainfall, decomposition and predation showed more complex effects, with levels of both processes increasing with current rainfall levels when rainfall in preceding time periods was low. This suggests that both processes are resilient to change and able to recover following drought. Our results indicate that the ecosystem processes measured within oil palm plantations are healthy and resilient to changing rainfall patterns. This is hopeful and suggests that the crop may be fairly robust to future changes in precipitation.

Measuring Agricultural Biodiversity for Sustainable Food Systems

Today, global food production is the largest driver of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss (Willett et al. 2019). Rising global food demand and limited arable land are pushing us to expand agricultural frontiers and production. This often happens without regard to the environment, causing biodiversity loss, land and water degradation (Bioversity International 2017) Climate change is accelerating biodiversity loss. Higher temperatures disrupt pollination and natural pest control, affecting food quality (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN 2017). Equally, the need to feed an additional 2 billion people by 2050 is pushing us to increase yields in a few staple foods, which erodes food and genetic diversity. Biodiversity loss in food systems leaves farmers with fewer options to deal with risks of crop failure, declining soil fertility, or increasingly variable weather (Bioversity International 2017), causing production losses, food insecurity and malnutrition(FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP WHO 2018). The way we produce and consume our food is hurting both people and the planet. This calls upon all of us, from governments to producers to consumers, to put biodiversity back into food (World Economic Forum (WEF) 2017). Food and - more broadly - agricultural biodiversity are essential for sustainable food systems. Agrobiodiversity boosts productivity and nutrition quality, increases soil and water quality, and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. It makes farmers’ livelihoods more resilient, reducing yield losses due to climate change and pest damage. Broadening the types of cultivated plants also benefits the environment, increasing the abundance of pollinators and beneficial soil organisms, and reducing the risk of pest epidemics. To sustainably use and conserve agrobiodiversity, governments need dedicated, multi-sectoral and evidence-based policies and strategies. From smallholder farmers to multinational companies, food producers are becoming increasingly important in conserving genetic resources and adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Consumers need to become more aware of the impact of their food choices on the planet and their role in preserving the environment. What actions do we need to put in place to make change happen? To answer, we need to be able to measure biodiversity in food systems. While decades of effort have advanced our understanding of sustainable food systems, biodiversity data remain uneven and oftentimes information is analyzed from sectoral perspectives (i.e.: production, consumption or conservation). To transform food systems, we need to look at the broader picture and understand the systemic linkages between biodiversity, food security and nutrition, agricultural production, and the environment. Bioversity International has developed the Agrobiodiversity Index, an innovative tool that brings together existing data on diets and markets, production and genetic resources, analyzing them under the lens of agricultural biodiversity (Bioversity International 2018). Through open access to agricultural biodiversity data for science and society, the tool crosses disciplinary boundaries and allows users to monitor biodiversity trends in food systems. In particular, it helps food systems actors to measure agrobiodiversity in a selected area or value chain, and understand to what extent their commitments and actions are contributing to its sustainable use and conservation. This user-friendly tool equips food systems actors with the data needed to make informed decisions. For example, it helps governments to formulate evidence-based agricultural, health and food policies and strategies to address today’s global challenges, by providing information on how biological and geographical diversity influence food systems sustainability. Through the Index, companies can understand how to diversify their supply chain and production to reduce risks, and what are the best agricultural practices for their agro-ecological zone. The tool can thereby support best practices dissemination, and track progress towards global goals related to agrobiodiversity, including Sustainable Development Goals 3, 12, 13, 15 and Aichi targets 7.

Understory Vegetation in Oil Palm Plantations Promotes Leopard Cat Activity, but Does Not Affect Rats or Rat Damage

The expansion of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations is a primary cause of land-use change and biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia. This has led to an increasing demand for the development of more sustainable agricultural management practices in plantations, such as Integrated Pest Management. Although populations of carnivorous mammals show declines when forest is converted to oil palm, some species, such as Leopard Cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) have been found to persist. They are often encouraged by plantation managers for their conservation value, and as agents of pest control to manage rat populations. Despite this, little is known about whether they reduce pest rat numbers, or whether plantation management affects how they use the oil palm habitat. This study was based at the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Tropical Agriculture (BEFTA) Programme in mature oil palm plantations in Riau, Sumatra, where there are three management strategies altering understory vegetation structure. We quantified Leopard Cat activity, invasive rat abundance and rat damage using camera traps, live traps, and visual estimates respectively. We collected data over a four-year period, before and after the management strategies were applied. We recorded three species of wild mammals (Leopard Cats, Common Palm Civets, and Wild Pig) within the plantations, of which Leopard Cats made up 82% of the total number of observations. We found that Leopard Cat habitat use was higher with increased understory vegetation, but that there was no effect of the vegetation treatments on rat abundance or rat damage. There was also a trend for reduced rat abundance with increased Leopard Cat activity. These results show that management practices can significantly affect Leopard Cat habitat use, with potential benefits for pest control. They also highlight the value of large-scale long-term manipulative experiments for developing more sustainable management practices in oil palm.

Traditional grazing systems in the Venetian Alps: Effects of grazing methods and environmental factors on cattle behaviour

Livestock farming in large-scale pasture landscapes can fulfil the economic and ecological requirements for sustainable, biodiversity-friendly agriculture of the European Union (EU). However, little is known about the grazing systems that have maintained these pastures for centuries. The traditional grazing methods and their effects on the cattle behaviour were therefore studied at 23 mountain summer farms in the Asiago upland (northeastern Italy). Traditional methods of free-ranging and herding were the only techniques adopted by farmers. Only environmental factors (size and perimeter length of the pastoral unit) were significantly associated with the grazing method used. Free-ranging was more often performed in small and homogeneous farms, while herding was done in large and heterogeneous farms. Herding led to a more homogeneous grazer distribution and better regulated the lengths of the cattle daily routes than free-ranging. The grazing direction and resting sites were almost exclusively affected by environmental factors. Cattle grazed predominantly in the direction from which the wind was blowing, and preferred resting at windy sites in the daytime (escaping from flies) and at open areas close to woods during the night (being protected against cold winds). Other traits shared between free-ranging and herding were: the seasonal organisation of grazing into periods and camps; re-grazing of the same surface within a few days; everyday use of different pasture types; and rhythms in the cattle daily activities. Even if they may have lower productivity compared to rotational stocking, the studied traditional grazing methods, especially herding, have the advantages of respecting spontaneous cattle behaviour, producing more savoury cheeses, and better maintaining heterogeneous and biodiversity-rich landscapes. More attention should be paid to traditional grazing methods within measures aiming to conserve cultural heritage and agricultural biodiversity.

IFST Winning Articles

IFST Winning Articles

The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture: a Call to Action?

The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture: a Call to Action?

Overlooked biodiversity loss in tropical smallholder agriculture.

Smallholder agriculture is the main driver of deforestation in the western Amazon, where terrestrial biodiversity reaches its global maximum. Understanding the biodiversity value of the resulting mosaics of cultivated and secondary forest is therefore crucial for conservation planning. However, Amazonian communities are organized across multiple forest types that support distinct species assemblages, and little is known about smallholder impacts across the range of forest types that are essential for sustaining biodiversity. We addressed this issue with a large-scale field inventory of birds (point counts) and trees (transects) in primary forest and smallholder agriculture in northern Peru across 3 forest types that are key for Amazonian biodiversity. For birds smallholder agriculture supported species richness comparable to primary forest within each forest type, but biotic homogenization across forest types resulted in substantial losses of biodiversity overall. These overall losses are invisible to studies that focus solely on upland (terra firma) forest. For trees biodiversity losses in upland forests dominated the signal across all habitats combined and homogenization across habitats did not exacerbate biodiversity loss. Proximity to forest strongly predicted the persistence of forest-associated bird and tree species in the smallholder mosaic, and because intact forest is ubiquitous in our study area, our results probably represent a best-case scenario for biodiversity in Amazonian agriculture. Land-use planning inside and outside protected areas should recognize that tropical smallholder agriculture has pervasive biodiversity impacts that are not apparent in typical studies that cover a single forest type. The full range of forest types must be surveyed to accurately assess biodiversity losses, and primary forests must be protected to prevent landscape-scale biodiversity loss.

Farm-Level Agricultural Biodiversity Is Not the Principal Contributor to Diverse and Micronutrient-Rich Diets, nor to Overall Food Consumption in Smallholder Farm Households

Farm-Level Agricultural Biodiversity Is Not the Principal Contributor to Diverse and Micronutrient-Rich Diets, nor to Overall Food Consumption in Smallholder Farm Households

Effects of Understory Vegetation Management on Plant Communities in Oil Palm Plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia

Oil palm plantations have expanded rapidly in recent decades, and are causing substantial impacts on tropical habitats and biodiversity. However, owing to its long lifespan (25-30 years), oil palm forms a much more varied and structurally-complex habitat than many other crops. This can include abundant understory vegetation and also epiphytes on palm trunks. However, the diversity of this plantation vegetation has been poorly studied, and there has been little consideration of the impacts of common plantation vegetation management practices on plant communities. We conducted a long-term vegetation management experiment that forms part of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Tropical Agriculture (BEFTA) Programme in Riau, Indonesia. We manipulated herbicide and manual cutting regimes within mature oil palm plantations to create three different understory complexity treatments (Reduced, Normal, and Enhanced vegetation) across replicated sets of plots. Plant communities were surveyed before and after experimental understory vegetation treatments began in three different microhabitats: within the middle of the plantation block (core), on the road edge (edge) and on oil palm trunks (trunk). Part of the sampling was also conducted during a drought event. We recorded 120 plant species, which comprised a mixture of native, non-native, ‘beneficial’, and ‘problem’ species. We found substantial variation in plant communities between edge, core, and trunk microhabitats, indicating high levels of heterogeneity within the plantation. There were significant effects of varying understory treatment within both core and edge microhabitats, but no spillover of impacts into the trunk microhabitat. We also observed substantial impacts of drought on plant communities, with declines in either biomass, percentage cover, or richness seen across core, edge, and trunk microhabitats during low-rainfall periods. Our findings highlight the diversity of plant communities that can be supported within oil palm plantations, and the substantial impacts that management decisions, and also drought, can have on them. Given the role that diverse plant communities can have in supporting species in other groups, this is likely to have a significant impact on the wider plantation biodiversity. We suggest that plantation management strategies give greater consideration to within-plantation understory plant communities and choose more wildlife-friendly options where possible.

What explains citizens’ valuations of and attitudes towards agricultural biodiversity? Results of an exploratory survey of Dutch students

Citizens’ valuation of agrobiodiversity is important for retaining political interest in the subject, for legitimising agri-environment schemes and other conservation initiatives and for their own willingness to contribute to agrobiodiversity conservation. Still little is known about whether and how citizens value agrobiodiversity, how these valuations can be explained and what they imply for citizens’ preparedness to contribute to the enhancement of agrobiodiversity. We report on the findings of an exploratory survey aimed at uncovering the above mechanisms among a specific subgroup of Dutch citizens: students. We conclude that (a) students appreciate the intrinsic and aesthetic values of agrobiodiversity to some extent, but not its instrumental value; (b) valuations correlate with students’ fundamental values; (c) students’ attitudes correlate strongly to how they value agrobiodiversity. We recommend follow-up research among a more representative sample of Dutch citizens, with the aims to further test the mechanisms, assess valuations of agrobiodiversity by Dutch citizens in general and explore whether and how these valuations can be enhanced by the provision of information about the intrinsic and aesthetic values of agrobiodiversity.

Piyasalar ve Kolektif Davranış: Geleneksel Buğday Türleri Üzerine Bir Örnek Olay İncelemesi

<div><!--block-->Turkey one of the centers of origin and genetic diversity for wheat. There are concerns about a global decline in crop genetic diversity in centers of agricultural diversity, the replacement of traditional varieties with modern varieties and implications for food security and climate change resilience. Market-oriented solutions can help conserve traditional wheat varieties, secure livelihoods and promote food security. However, overcoming marketing challenges of traditional varieties require collective action of small farmers. Based on fieldwork in Turkey, this article examines the conservation and development outcomes for two traditional wheat varieties, einkorn (Triticum monococcum) and a local bread wheat variety zeron/zerun (Triticum aestivum). While external development interventions are critical to secure guaranteed markets for farmers, bonding, bridging and linking social capital between farmers and external actors sustain collective action in the long term. Previous collective action of farmers and non-market solutions for agricultural biodiversity conservation, particularly seed exchange networks, also are critical for the effectiveness of market-oriented solutions. The national context, legal changes as well as socio-economic policies, also affects the decisions of farmers to cultivate the traditional varieties, and thus, should be included in the sustainability of market-oriented solutions for traditional wheat variety conservation.&nbsp;</div>

Assessing indigenous and local knowledge of farmers about pollination services in cucurbit agro-ecosystem of Punjab, Pakistan.

Being the ultimate beneficiary of ecosystem services provided by on-farm agricultural biodiversity, the participation of farmers in its sustainable utilization and conservation is crucial. How much aware they are with the significance and conservation of agricultural biodiversity in order to improve their crop yield remains unclear, especially from the developing courtiers. Pollination is one of such ecosystem services, enormously contributed by the wild bees. In the present study, we have investigated the knowledge of farmers about bees and pollination in general in three districts i.e. Multan, Bahawalpur and Khanewal of southern Punjab, Pakistan. Some 300 farmers (100 cucurbit growers in each district using convenient sampling method) were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Respondents were first presented with a box of insect specimens and then were asked to identify bees among those. Those who identified correctly were asked to state about their nesting sites. Only 11% of the respondents could correctly identify the bees and half of them could report something about nesting sites. A majority (63%) of the farmers was unable to tell fertilization requirements in cucurbits, 59% could not distinguish female flower from the male flower and 64% could not state any benefit of bees. However, upon briefing about the significance of bee pollinators, 58% of the farmers showed eagerness to conserve bees at their farms. Keeping in view the inadequacies of farmers' knowledge about wild bees and pollination in general, the present study also gives some policy recommendations.

Potential nitrogen contribution from symbiotic fixation of dwarf pea (Pisum sativum) and clover (Trifolium resupinatum) in crop rotation and intercropping systems

Intercropping and rotation systems involving legumes can be useful means to achieve a sustainable agricultural production. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is widespread among leguminous species thanks to their ability to establish symbiosis with nitrogen (N) fixing microorganisms. Moreover, the application of intercropped legumes increases the agricultural biodiversity and helps farmers to reduce N leaching preventing soil erosion and weed spreading. Little information is available regarding the contribution of N2 (atmospheric nitrogen) from symbiotic fixation of pea and clover when involved in intercropping or in succession systems with other vegetable crops. This study, carried out in a mountain agroecosystem (Venosta Valley, South Tyrol, Italy), has been conceived as part of a more complex research trial on N optimization of cauliflower intercropped and in succession with other vegetables. We have applied the 15N natural abundance technique to field grown clover and dwarf pea, with or without external N supplied, to assess the potential contribution of N2 for intercropping and crop rotation. The technique exploits naturally occurring differences in 15N abundance between plant available N sources in the soil (more enriched in the 15N isotope) and that of N2 in the atmosphere (δ15N=0‰). When a legume crop fixes N2, its 15N abundance should be lower than that of a no-N fixing crop, exploiting only the soil N pool. Reference plant N derived from atmosphere (%Ndfa) was the white cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), one of the most important vegetables on a world scale belonging to the Brassicaceae family and the first vegetable crop cultivated for fresh consumption in South Tyrol. In our study, clover and pea crop residues contained around 74 and 43 kg N ha‑1, respectively. The %Ndfa for the two legumes was similar and ranged from 20% (dwarf pea) to 22% (clover). In presence of external N fertilizers, values of δ15N of the species resulted lower in comparison with the unfertilized control, making the BNF estimation difficult. The study indicated clover and dwarf pea as a potential tool to reduce inorganic fertilizers supply when included in a rotation system. Further trials are needed to confirm our results on BNF of the analysed species in different agroecosystems.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for Small-Scale Farms in Developed Economies: Challenges and Opportunities.

Small-scale farms are an important component of agricultural production even in developed economies, and have an acknowledged role in providing other biological and societal benefits, including the conservation of agricultural biodiversity and enhancement of local food security. Despite this, the small-farm sector is currently underserved in relation to the development and implementation of scale-appropriate Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices that could help increase such benefits. This review details some of the characteristics of the small farm sectors in developed economies (with an emphasis on the USA and Europe), and identifies some of the characteristics of small farms and their operators that may favor the implementation of IPM. Some of the challenges and opportunities associated with increasing the uptake of IPM in the small-farm sector are discussed. For example, while some IPM tactics are equally applicable to virtually any scale of production, there are others that may be easier (or more cost-effective) to implement on a smaller scale. Conversely, there are approaches that have not been widely applied in small-scale production, but which nevertheless have potential for use in this sector. Examples of such tactics are discussed. Knowledge gaps and opportunities for increasing IPM outreach to small-scale producers are also identified.