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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Improving Water Resilience With More Perennially Based Agriculture, Andrea D. Basche, Oliver F. Edelson
Improving Water Resilience With More Perennially Based Agriculture, Andrea D. Basche, Oliver F. Edelson
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications
Land conversion from natural to managed ecosystems, while necessary for food production, continues to occur at high rates with significant water impacts. Further, increased rainfall variability exposes agricultural systems to impacts from flood and drought events. In many regions, water limitations are overcome through technological approaches such as irrigation and tile drainage, which may not be sustainable in the long term. A more sustainable approach to combat episodes of floods and droughts is to increase soil water storage and the overall green water efficiency of agroecosystems. Agricultural practices that promote “continuous living cover,” such as perennial grasses, agroforestry and cover …
The Effects Of Early Pruning On The Near-Ground Branch Density Of Four Live Fencing Species, Aric Devens
The Effects Of Early Pruning On The Near-Ground Branch Density Of Four Live Fencing Species, Aric Devens
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Crop losses in home gardens greatly impact the wellbeing of rural West African families. Herbivory by migratory or local livestock represents a significant source of crop loss. Live-fencing gardens with thorny hedges is a low-cost and sustainable strategy for reducing losses due to herbivory. However, guidance on the establishment of thorny hedges is inconsistent, poorly publicized, and often anecdotal. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of three early pruning treatments on near-ground branch density of four thorny species: Vachellia nilotica, Senegalia laeta, Senegalia mellifera, and Prosopis juliflora. Physical measurements and photographic data indicated that after one growing season, V. …