This study compared synthetic insecticide and botanical/biopesticide residues in conventional and organic agricultural production systems after nine years of continuous cultivation of a maize-based crop rotation system at two sites in Kenya. The results show high detectable concentrations of synthetic insecticide residues (imidacloprid, acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos, and chlorantraniliprole) in conventional plant produce and soil.
A significant amount of the carbon (C) assimilated in photosynthesis by trees is re-emitted to the atmosphere via the respiratory CO2 flux of roots. Because of technical constraints, we have little understanding of the extent and dynamics of the respiratory CO2 flux of roots at the total root system scale (RCF). This study aimed to fill this gap and to quantify the daily C budget of entire trees. Aeroponics was used as a novel approach to measure directly and simultaneously RCF and the net CO2 flux of the entire shoot (SCF).
Given the rapid changes in tropical agricultural production, the evaluation of different management practices has gained interest to determine the effects of land-use change on biodiversity. The conversion of forests into agricultural land is one of the main drivers of diversity loss. Agroforestry systems have been shown as a promising option to provide suitable yields in addition to conserving biodiversity. In this study we compared species richness and community composition of terrestrial ants in six different systems in a long-term experimental site established in 2009 in Bolivia.
The use of improved plant genetic material should support a sustainable increase of cacao production. In this study, we evaluate and compare the yield performance of four locally-selected clones with those of four widely-used international clones in South America and four full-sib families (crosses of the same international clones). The research was conducted in a long-term trial in Bolivia with different production systems, including monocultures and agroforestry systems under organic and conventional farming and a successional agroforestry system without external inputs.