Permanent Shade Research Articles

Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Strawberry Plants Cultivated under Greenhouse-Integrated Semi-Transparent Photovoltaics.

The integration of semi-transparent photovoltaics into the roof of greenhouses is an emerging technique used in recent years, due to the simultaneous energy and food production from the same piece of land. Although shading in many cases is a solution to maintain the desired microclimate, in the case of photovoltaic installations, the permanent shading of the crop is a challenge, due to the importance of light to the growth, morphogenesis, and other critical physiological processes. In this study, the effect of shade from semi-transparent photovoltaics on a strawberry crop (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) was examined, in terms of growth and quality (phenolic and flavonoid concentration of fruits). According to the results, in non-shaded plants, there was a trend of larger plants, but without a significant change in leaf number, while the total number of flowers was slightly higher at the end of the cultivation period. Moreover, it was found that the percentage change between the number of ripe fruits was smaller than that of the corresponding change in fruit weight, implying the increased size of the fruits in non-shaded plants. Finally, regarding the antioxidant capacity, it was clearly demonstrated that shading increased the total phenolic content, as well as the free-radical-scavenging activity of the harvested fruits. Although the shading from the semi-transparent photovoltaics did not assist the production of large fruits, it did not affect their number and increased some of their quality characteristics. In addition, the advantageous impact of the semi-transparent photovoltaics in the energy part must not be neglected.

Study the Feasibility of Round the Year Utilization of Permanent Shade Net Structure

A study was conducted to assess the feasibility of permanent shade net structure in comparison to open field condition for round the year cultivation. Experiment was conducted during 2016-2017 for winter, summer and rainy season. The microclimate parameters recorded were maximum and minimum temperature, light intensity and dry bulb and wet bulb temperature. The results showed that shade net lowered the temperature, light intensity and increased the relative humidity during winter, summer and rainy season in comparison to open field condition. The crops taken during round the year were i.e. winter season (pea, cabbage, cauliflower, and potato), summer season (tomato) and rainy season (spinach and coriander). During winter season under shade net structure only cabbage yield was better than open field and tomato yield during summer season under shade net structure was substantial higher than open field.

Modelling Canopy Temperature of Crops With Heterogeneous Canopies Grown Under Solar Panels

With global warming and the increase of heatwaves frequencies, it has become urgent to protect crops. Agrivoltaic systems tackle this issue by shading plants with photovoltaic panels to lower the temperature of canopies. However, a permanent shading would lead to an important loss of carbon for plants. For this reason, dynamic agrivoltaic systems (AVD) emerged with panels which could be steered in real time according to the needs of plants. Shading at the right time is not that easy with the risk to either miss a hot event and cause serious and irreversible injuries to the plants or shade too often, and impact carbon production. In this paper we present first an experiment with measurements of leaf temperature at different positions of grapevine canopy for two summer days in 2020 and 2021. Then, the energy balance sub-model part of a crop model that simulate plant growth for fruit trees and vines grown in heterogeneous AVD environments is presented. Finally, after having evaluated the coherence of the model with experimental results, the relevance of a mechanistic model to steer solar panels and protect plants from heat is illustrated through several examples. The heterogeneity of temperature within the canopy observed in the field experiments related with different variables such as air and ground temperature, leaf orientation and self-shading was correctly reproduced by the model. This work indicated that canopy temperature could be more integrative than a unique threshold of air temperature to take decisions on panel orientation to protect plants from heat stress.

A scarab beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) causes tree mortality, delayed growth, and yield reduction in cacao with genotype-specific susceptibility to herbivory.

This study explored the impact of Leucothyreus femoratus, a previously unreported folivorous pest in cacao cultivation, on cacao tree survival, development, and yield. The study was conducted in an experimental cacao plot in the Colombian plains, it featured 20 cacao genotypes in an agroforestry system, with plantain and Mexican sunflower providing temporary shade, and yopo offering permanent shade. We found an infestation rate of 2.9 ± 0.3 adult beetles per cacao tree. L. femoratus larvae were discovered in association with the roots of all plants within the agroforestry arrangement; however, yopo and plantain exhibited the highest incidence of root-feeding larvae among these associated plants. Interestingly, male and female L. femoratus displayed distinct leaf consumption patterns in the laboratory, with females consuming more foliage relative to their body weight. Moreover, field observations highlighted the detrimental impact of L. femoratus herbivory on cacao tree survival and growth, leading to leaf skeletonization, reduced plant height, and stem diameter. Trees with over 50% leaf consumption suffered more than 20% mortality. Additionally, herbivory negatively affected cacao yield, correlating higher leaf surface damage with a decrease in harvested pods. The study also identified varying antixenotic resistance in different cacao genotypes, with some consistently displaying resistance while others showed variable levels during tree establishment and production stages. This research underscores the significant role of L. femoratus as a cacao pest, emphasizing its adverse effects on cacao tree survival, development, and yield. Consequently, implementing effective control measures is vital for ensuring sustainable cacao cultivation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tropical Field Observation of Weed Permanent Shading on Solar PV Surface

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) largely depends on the sun irradiation or insolation level (in W/m2) on its surface for electricity conversion process. Cloud movement especially thick cloud near to earth surface creates a non-permanent shading on solar PV farms top surface which significantly reduce the electricity yield. Improper weed management in large scale solarfarms would create a permanent shading to the PV surface especially with creeping plants. Thus, this work implies freely available application namely Pl@ntNet and Canopeo to analyse the impacts of weed surface cover in Solarfarms. Images of specified weed growing above the solar PV surface are captured and identified using Pl@ntNet application to determine the type of weed. Weed identification is the first stage of efficient weed management to aid in a fundamental understanding of the life cycle and biology of the weeds for proper control measures. The same images are used in Canopeo application to determine the surface coverage by means of Quadrat sampling. This information will be invaluable to solarfarm operators showing the significant energy reduction when the solar PV surface are covered by weeds.

Analysis of Weed Communities in Solar Farms Located in Tropical Areas—The Case of Malaysia

Weed management in large-scale solar photovoltaic (LSS-PV) farms has become a great concern to the solar industry due to scarcity of labour and the ever-increasing price of pesticides, which opens up possibilities for integrated farming, also known as agrivoltaics. Improper weed control may have multiple negative impacts such as permanent shading of the module surface, pest housing which damages communication cables, and even bush fires. The shaded PV modules can be heated up to extreme temperatures, causing costly burn-out damage. Critical information on the types of weeds on solar farms, especially in Malaysia, has not been established to support the concept of weed management. Thus, with this study, detailed composition of the weed community was obtained via quadrat sampling between solar PV modules, near ground equipment, near perimeter fencing, and directly underneath the PV modules. Weed-control measures via high-quality weedmat installation under solar PV arrays have been implemented where this approach can be considered effective on solar farms based on the existing PV structure height and equipment constraints plus the increasing cost for labour and agricultural inputs. This work underlines the proposed Agrivoltaic for Large Scale Solar (Agrivoltaic4LSS) program to complement the solar industry in Malaysia towards an agrivoltaic, eco-friendly approach to weed management.

Timber growth, cacao yields, and financial revenues in a long-term experiment of cacao agroforestry systems in northern Honduras

Cacao in Honduras is cultivated under traditional shade tree species (Inga sp., Erythrina sp., Gliricidia sp.), fruit and timber species deliberately planted or selected and managed from natural regeneration. Typically, the shade canopy of these cacao plantations is poorly managed resulting in high tree density and heavy shading, thus affecting cacao yield performance overtime. We assessed 12 cacao plots made up of 15–35 useful timber shade trees with varying spacing 6 × 9, 9 × 9, 8 × 10, and 10 × 12 m. Initially, each plot consisted of three shade components plus cacao. Plantain (Musa x paradisiaca) and madreado (Gliricidia sepium) were used as temporary shade and timber species, were selected as permanent shade. Dasometric data were retrieved to assess growth rates of timber species and cacao yield per plant were recorded to explore the effects of shade cover yield performance and the incidence of main diseases. Specifically, we: a) calculated growth rates and build curves for diameter (DBH), total height (Ht), and commercial volume (Vc) and compared the growing performance with ANOVA and DGC tests; b) run a correlation analysis between shade cover, timber basal area, cocoa yields, and the incidence of monilia and black pod. Statistical differences were found in terms of growth rates among timber species evaluated. Mean annual growth rates were 2.25 cm in DBH, 1 m in Ht, and the standing commercial timber gained was 4.2 m3ha−1year−1. Cocoa yields ranged between 950 and 1,365 kg ha1year1 and were negatively affected by both increased tree cover and timber basal area. Cacao yields were reduced up to 25% when tree cover and tree basal area were over 40% and 10 m2ha−1, respectively. Regardless of timber tree species, no significant effect of tree cover was found on the incidence of cacao diseases. After 22 years, total revenues were determined by the proportion of incomes provided by each component of the agroforestry systems assessed. Five out of 12 timber-based cacao plantations accumulated more than U$95,000 of combined revenues, equivalent to incomes of US$3775 ha−1 year−1. Timber-based cacao plantations are a promising alternative for farm diversification in northern Honduras.

A Machine Learning and Internet of Things-Based Online Fault Diagnosis Method for Photovoltaic Arrays

In this paper, a novel fault detection and classification method for photovoltaic (PV) arrays is introduced. The method has been developed using a dataset of voltage and current measurements (I–V curves) which were collected from a small-scale PV system at the RELab, the University of Jijel (Algeria). Two different machine learning-based algorithms have been used in order to detect and classify the faults. An Internet of Things-based application has been used in order to send data to the cloud, while the machine learning codes have been run on a Raspberry Pi 4. A webpage which shows the results and informs the user about the state of the PV array has also been developed. The results show the ability and the feasibility of the developed method, which detects and classifies a number of faults and anomalies (e.g., the accumulation of dust on the PV module surface, permanent shading, the disconnection of a PV module, and the presence of a short-circuited bypass diode in a PV module) with a pretty good accuracy (98% for detection and 96% classification).

Daily light integral requirements for bermudagrass and zoysiagrass cultivars: Effects of season and trinexapac‐ethyl

AbstractShade is a major problem facing turf managers worldwide. Availability of low‐cost devices and methods for quantifying daily light integral (DLI) offer the turf manager the ability to more precisely determine DLI levels in shade, yet minimal DLI requirements for acceptable turf quality (DLIm) for many commonly used warm‐season turf cultivars grown under longer‐term chronic shade stress have not been extensively tested. The objectives of this 2‐yr field shade study were to (a) determine effects of growth regulator trinexapac‐ethyl (TE) and season (summer or fall) on DLIm of nine commercially available bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) and zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) cultivars; (b) determine effects of shade level and TE on summer percent green cover and root growth; and (c) determine effects of shade treatments on soil temperatures across the growing season. Significantly higher DLIm were noted during summer compared to fall for all cultivars in the study. The DLIm were generally higher for bermudagrass than zoysiagrass cultivars. ‘Tifway’ required the highest DLIm (ranging from 23.5 to 27.2 mol m−2 d−1) of the bermudagrasses. ‘TifGrand’, ‘Celebration’, and ‘Latitude 36’ showed comparable DLIm during summer and fall. Fewer consistent differences were detected between zoysiagrasses, with ‘Zorro’ and ‘Zeon’ showing the lowest summer DLIm (18.1 and 19.1 mol m−2 d−1, respectively) and ‘Geo’ showing the lowest fall DLIm (11.7 mol m−2 d−1). Trinexapac‐ethyl reduced DLIm only in Zorro, ‘Palisades’, and ‘JaMur’ zoysiagrass, but had no effect on bermudagrass DLIm. The DLIm for a number of cultivars were higher than those previously reported in the literature, which may be attributed to lower mowing heights and/or use of permanent shade structures that were not removed for the duration of the 27‐mo study. The findings should benefit turf managers by guiding data‐driven, seasonal‐based, warm‐season turfgrass cultivar selection for shaded environments.

Tall fescue is a superturfgrass: Tolerance to shade conditions under deficit irrigation

To evaluate the morpho-physiological characteristics of some cool-season turfgrass species under shade stress, an experiment was conducted outdoor in two subsequent years. Then, tall fescue, as the best-recognized turf from the former test, was exposed to combined drought and shade stress, aiming to measure to what extent shade can decrease turfgrasses water consumption and alleviate drought effects. The first test included 35 treatments at 7 different levels of continuous and temporal shade conditions in the morning and afternoon (60% and 80%) and full sunlight, and 5 cool-season turfgrass species, i.e., tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), red fescue ( Festuca rubra L.), perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.), Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis L.) and sheep fescue ( Festuca ovina L.)]. The second test was consisted of 9 treatment, including 3 different irrigation intervals (i. e. 3, 6, and 9 days), 3 shade stress (i.e. full sunlight, 60% and 80% permanent shade), and 3 replications. Seeds of different cool-season turfgrass species were sown in April 2015 and 2016 in a loamy soil. Treated turfgrasses were evaluated for morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics. Results showed that in the first test tall fescue has the highest quality in terms of morpho-physiological characteristics at a high level of shade stress (80% continuous shade). Perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass showed weak tolerance to shade stress conditions. The 80% constant shade had the greatest influence on turfgrass qualitative and quantitative traits, but in some cases did not show a significant difference between temporal shades. Turfgrasses quality decreased by increasing the intensity and duration of shade; however tall fescue was an excellent turfgrass species under shade stress conditions. Although visual quality, tiller density, and total chlorophyll content of tall fescue were significantly reduced by less frequent irrigation, they were improved by shade treatment compared with control plants. In addition, tall fescue has the highest amount of proline, catalase activity, starch, and reducing sugars under 9 days of drought and 60% shade stress. This is the first report of the interaction of shade and drought stress on the biochemical and morpho-physiological responses of tall fescue plants.

On the state of the ground cover of shaded areas in urban landscaping objects

It has been established that in municipal forestry of Stavropol (streets, squares, boulevards, parks) mixed plantations of broad-leaved tree species Tilia cordata Mill., Acer pseudoplatanus L., A. platanoides L., Aesculus hippocastanum L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Quercus robur L., prevail, which increases the shading conditions for lawns arranged under their canopy. With sparse and single-row planting of trees, lawn grass is in conditions of temporary shading and does not significantly suffer (lawns of good and satisfactory quality). In places with multi-row and group placement of tree plantations, the grass of lawns is in conditions of both temporary and permanent shading and is thinned up to 40–60 %, the relative amount of sunlight (RAS) is 2.1–9.2 % (mediocre and poor lawns). In conditions of constant intensive shading with a RAS of 0.6–2.6 %, turf grasses completely fall out, a dead cover forms, which reduces the quality of greening. Usually sparse grass are sown with fast-growing turf grasses annually. The issue of turfing of the shaded areas of parks with local forest grasses Brachypodium sylvaticum (Huds.) P. Beauv., Dactylis polygama Horvat., Festuca gigantea (L.) Vill., Poa nemoralis L. (RAS 2.1–5.8 %) and sedge Carex divulsa Stokes, (RAS 1.0–4.2 %) and the conservation of forest herbaceous cenoses is discussed. In shady parks, the use of ground cover introduced species Vinca minor L., Hedera helix L, and the herbaceous perennial Helleborus caucasicus A. Braun (RAS 1.2–7.4 %) is promising.

Farmers understanding and practices on shading and pruning for Arabica coffee – a survey and analysis on the effects to the yields

This study aimed to identify and formulate the influence and correlation of farmers’ practices and understanding related to the shading and pruning on the yiels of their Arabica coffee. The research was carried out in Bolokan Village, Lembang Tiroan Bittuang, Tana Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi-Indonesia. The research was in the form of surveys (study literature, observations, and interviews), with the selection of samples carried out deliberately (purposive sampling). The data was analysed with multiple linear regression using SPSS software. The results showed that the different levels of practices related with shading and pruning management provided significant effect and correlation with the yields of coffee plants. The generated multiple linear regression equation was Y = 27.983 + 1.131X1 + 0.591X2 + 2.575X3 + 1.050X4 + 0.820X5 + 1.967X6 + 1.185X7 + 0.313X8 + 0.823X9. Factors from aspects of maintenance techniques related with shading and pruning could increase the production and productivity of Arabica coffee plants. Variables of plant height adjustment, flowering and fruiting stimulation through shading, production pruning, understanding of shade plants benefits and pests and diseases control were stated to have an influence on yields (fruit) of coffee plants, while shade management, pruning time, rejuvenation pruning, and permanent shade plants were declared to have no significant effect.

Investigation of Shade Tree Species Used in Tea Garden in Bangladesh

The shade trees are an integral component of tea cultivation in Bangladesh. The shade trees are essential for modulating the environment of the tea ecosystem, enriching the soil fertility, reducing temperature and the evaporative capacity, conserve soil moisture and helps in the control of certain pests and diseases which are positively thermotropic in nature. The shade trees provide partial shade to the tea plants, which is important for improving the quality of the tea leaf. The right type of shade trees and their proper management is a prerequisite for successful tea crop growing. For this persists, a floristic exploration of shade trees was carried out at fifteen tea gardens in Chattogram and Moulvibazar District of Bangladesh from November 2017 to December 2018. During the investigation, a total of 44 species of Angiosperm representing 31 genera of 9 families was enlisted. For every species, scientific name, vernacular name, status, and necessary photographs are mentioned. In the assessment, the Fabaceae family shows the highest number of shade trees comprising 19 genera and 31 species. The most common permanent shade tree species among the tea gardens are Albizia odoratissima, A. chinensis, A. lebbeck, A. lucidior, A. procera, and Derris robusta. Indigofera teysmannii is frequently using as a temporary shade species in all investigated tea gardens. Cajanus cajan, Tephrosia candida, Tephrosia candida, Gliricidia sepium, Erythrina lithosperma and Desmodium gyroides species are also used as temporary shade trees in many tea gardens. Further investigations, however,are required to find out the right type of shade tree species on the growth and yield of tea plants in tea cultivation areas of Bangladesh.
 SAARC J. Agri., 18(1): 219-237 (2020)

EKSPLORASI KONSTRUKSI BAMBU RECIPROCAL-DEPLOYABLE GRIDSHELL

Abstrak - Adanya keterbutuhan akan naungan semi-permanen atau sementara yang mudah dan cepat dibangun untuk sesuatu peristiwa tertentu. Pada penelitian ini menggali potensi struktur bentang lebar transformatif dengan menggabungkan dan mengembangkan sistem struktur konstruksi deployable dan reciprocal dalam bentuk struktur atap bidang gridshell bambu, menjadi sebuah konfigurasi mandiri tersusun dari variasi komposisi modul dengan bantuan komputasional mengikuti kebutuhan desain arsitektur. Hal ini dilakukan dengan mengetahui potensi sistem struktur, pola desain, dan sistem sambungan pada beberapa objek studi yang dievaluasi secara kualitatif dengan metode komparasi pada sistem struktur, sambungan, karakter batang, penyaluran beban, sistem penguncian struktur, dan deployability.Manfaat penelitian berfokus pada penelitian struktur bambu untuk menjadi inovasi baru dalam keteknikan material bambu yang dapat meningkatkan nilai lokalitas Indonesia dengan dapat digunakan masyarakat terutama dalam menggunakan material bambu untuk pengembangan naungan sementara maupun permanen.Pembahasan mengenai kriteria sistem struktur sesuai tujuan penelitian merupakan hasil dari analisa objek studi dimana struktur transformasi berdasarkan karakter struktur deployable sedangkan struktur reciprocal merupakan sistem yang menyokong untuk memberikan kestabilan dan sistem penguncian mandiri. Kedua struktur ini merupakan sistem struktur yang fleksible dan mudah diduplikasi sehingga untuk memenuhi fungsi sebagai struktur bentang lebar, sistem struktur didesain membentuk gridshell. Bentuk gridshell ini yang diolah dengan bantuan komputasional untuk membentuk sistem struktur reciprocal-deployable secara efektif.Penelitian yang bersifat eksplorasi, eksperimen dilakukan pada pola reciprocal hingga menemukan pola paling stabil dan mengubah karakter batang lurus pada reciprocal menjadi batang deployable berupa scissor-like element, lalu mengembangkan jenis sambungan dengan analisa potensi dan kendala tiap sambungan. Eksperimen menghasilkan sistem struktur baru dengan menggabungkan kedua sistem struktur didapatkan struktur yang dapat bertransformasi, memiliki sistem penguncian mandiri, dan dapat membentang lebar dengan bentuk gridshell.

Biological responses of hair sheep to a permanent shade during a short heat stress exposure in an arid region

Abstract Summer heat stress (HS) in warm climates decreases feedlot performance and, in extreme cases, causes death in fattening lambs. A traditional strategy to mitigate effects of HS has been the installation of galvanized sheet metal shades that partially or totally cover the corrals; however, the impact of total shading on thermoregulation and growth in hair lambs has been little studied. Twenty Dorper × Pelibuey ewe lambs were assigned to two treatments (n = 10; non-shaded vs. shaded) for two weeks to evaluate the effects of providing total shading with galvanized sheet metal in the fattening corral on physiological variables, blood analyte concentrations and growth performance under HS conditions in an arid region. Rectal temperature and respiratory rate in shaded ewe lambs were higher at 0600 h and lower at 1200 and 1800 h compared to non-shaded ewe lambs. Shaded ewe lambs had lower serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, K+ and Cl−, but higher serum urea levels, compared to non-shaded ewe lambs. Additionally, most of the mean values of hematological variables were higher in shaded ewe lambs versus non-shaded. Shaded ewe lambs had higher feed intake but similar growth rate and water intake than its counterpart. In conclusion, under summer HS conditions in an arid region, the thermoregulatory capacity of hair ewe lambs is improved during the daytime but compromised in the nighttime by completely shading the feedlots with galvanized sheet metal. Additionally, the lack of protection against solar radiation negatively affected feed intake and energy metabolism.

MITIGATION OF HEAT STRESS EFFECTS BY USING SHADE NET ON WASHINGTON NAVEL ORANGE TREES GROWN IN AL-NUBARIA REGION, EGYPT

High temperature stress can be detrimental to plants, resulting in reduced fruit yield and increased incidences of fruit disorders. One strategy that farmers can use to maintain or increase their yields in the face of a changing climate is to adjust of farm climate by using shade net on the trees. Such, the use of shade netting on Washington navel orange planted on the sandy soil in Al-Nubaria region, Egypt were studied during two successive seasons, either using a permanent shade throughout all the season or using a moveable shade for certain period from the first of March until the end of June for every season. Growth (No. of shoots/one meter branch, No. of leaves/shoot, shoot length and chlorophyll content of the leaves, leaf area and tree canopy), macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Na) content in the leaves, fruit characteristics (number, weight, diameter, peel thickness, total soluble solids, total acidity and ascorbic acid), yield and crop efficiency, were determined. It can be concluded that covering Washington navel orange trees grown on sandy soil with shade net especial covering the trees for certain period was very effective at protecting orange trees and led to improve the growth, increase the yield and maintain fruit quality.

Integrating diversity of smallholder coffee cropping systems in environmental analysis

PurposeCoffee represents an important trade asset internationally. Around 70% of global coffee production is provided by 25 million smallholders farmers. In recent decades, coffee systems have been transformed into more intensified systems of coffee monoculture. The general objectives of this paper are to provide a better picture of the traditional coffee cropping systems and postharvest processes on-farm and to assess the environmental impacts, integrating the diversity of smallholder cropping systems.MethodsA Life Cycle Assessment from cradle to farm gate was performed for three cropping systems representative of Colombian coffee cultivation according to the associated crops and shadow trees: coffee alone (CA), coffee with transition shade (CTS), and coffee with permanent shade (CPS). The system studied includes inputs, agricultural production and postharvest operations using the wet method. The final product of farms is parchment bean coffee at farm gate. The technology used is representative of the average practices of smallholder coffee growers in the region. To address multiple functions of coffee, three functional units (FU) were selected: area by time (ha*year−1 unit area), productivity (ton of parchment coffee) and farmers income (1000 USD$). Seven midpoint categories were selected: climate change, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, and water resource depletion.Results and discussionWe present the life cycle inventory and impact assessment results from three types of cropping systems CA, CTS and CPS. For all FU, the CPS system has the lowest potential impact, excepted for marine eutrophication. CPS also has the highest coffee yields, however it has also the highest costs. Even if cropping system diversification is only one of multiple factors that influence environmental performance, agroforestry seems to be a promising path to reduce and mitigate environmental impacts by decreasing off-fam contributions (input fabrication).ConclusionsResults show the possibility that diversified cropping systems have an influence when assessing potential environmental impacts of coffee at farm gate and differences found might be influenced by shading in traditional coffee systems. Future work is needed to consider the real potential of CTS cropping system including land use and carbon dynamics. Assessments including social indicators and the rest of the value chain in particular coffee industrial transformation and utilization are also needed since the consumption stages are also a key driver to reduce the environmental footprint of coffee.

Seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile as a marine biomarker: a metabolomic and toxicological analysis

AbstractA human‐made environmental disaster due to the shipwrecked of Costa Concordia cruise vessel on the Tuscan Island of Giglio (Italy) coast and the possible pollutants release has been feared, so requiring the activation of removal operations and the monitoring of the marine environment. In the present study, the seagrass Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile was used as a bioindicator for the impact of the Costa Concordia accident on the marine and coastal habitat. Different P. oceanica samples were collected in the shipwrecked site under different light conditions. Using high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography, metabolic analysis of the samples was carried out in order to highlight possible changes in the secondary metabolism due to the permanent shading and the presence of pollutant traces. Moreover, sample mutagenicity, as a consequence of the possible absorption of environmental toxicants leaked by the wreck, was assessed by the Ames test. The results highlighted the permanence of the Concordia‐induced alteration in the plant secondary metabolites. However, absorption of chemical pollutants and carcinogens was not reported; this point was confirmed by the lack of mutagenic effects found for the samples tested. Our results clearly evidence that the environmental impact of Costa Concordia wreck and removal operations on P. oceanica was mainly due to the lack of light in the marine habitat. Present methodological approach, which combines metabolomic and genetic ecotoxicological analysis, could represent a suitable strategy to evaluate the impact of human disasters on the ecosystem and to monitor the environmental changes.

Growing Coffee in the Shade: A Strategy to Minimize the Prevalence of Coffee White Stem Borer, Xylotrechus quadripes

Abstract. Coffee white stem borer, Xylotrechus quadripes Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a major coffee pest in parts of Asia and Africa. In recent years, the pest has also been found in American countries. This study in Gulmi District, Nepal, aimed to determine the infestation by coffee white stem borer in relation to coffee plantations in shade or sun. Eighty plantations of coffee were inspected and 68 coffee growers were interviewed. Of 68, 52 (76%) respondents reported high to very high infestation by pests in sun coffee, while 50 (74%) claimed low to very low infestation in shade coffee. There was a significant (χ2 = 5.8, p < 0.05) association between coffee plantations (shade and sun) and infestation by coffee white stem borer. Pest prevalence was significantly (χ2 = 75, p < 0.05) greater for sun (60%) compared to shade (40%) coffee plants. The total number of infested plants showed significant negative correlation (r = -0.54, n = 68, p < 0.05) with the number of permanent shading trees in p...

The effect of permanent shade tree at mature tea area on microclimate, the population of pest insects and natural enemies, and tea shoot production

A study to know the effect of permanent shade trees at mature tea area on microclimate, the population of pest insects and natural enemies, as well as tea shoot production was carried out at Blok B-4 Afdeling Gambung Selatan (1.300 m asl) of Research Insitute for Tea and Cinchona, Bandung, West Java, from January up to December 2009. The study carried out using experimental observation method with two treatments, viz. mature tea area with and without permanent shade tree, silver oak (Grevillea robusta). The parameters of microclimate: temperature, relative humidity, and sunshine intensity, the population of various pest insects and natural enemies, as well as tea shoot production were observed regularly during dry and rainy seasons at the two experimental plots. The results showed that the existence of permanent shade trees Grevillea robusta at mature tea area could maintain the temperature, relative humidity (RH), and sunshine intensity suitable for tea growth at dry season, suppress the population of pest insects, and on the contrary increase the population of natural enemies, as well as increase the tea shoot production, up to 21% at rainy season, and up to 55% at dry season.