Effect of thinning eucalyptus trees on soybean productivity in integrated crop-livestock-forestry systems

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of integrated crop-livestock-forestry (ICLF) systems and the thinning of eucalyptus trees on the agronomical performance of soybean. Treatments consisted of cultivation under: crops under full sunlight (CFS) conditions; ICLF with triple-row tree configuration (ICLFT) in which trees were submitted to selective thinning in the fifth year after planting through removal of 50% of trees while maintaining triple-row bands; and ICLF with single-row tree band configuration (ICLFS) in which the lateral rows of the triple-row tree bands were subjected to systematic thinning at the fourth year after planting. The physiological and agronomical variables of the soybean crop were evaluated at the R5 and R8 reproductive stages during the eighth harvesting season (2018/2019). Soybean sampling was carried out at five random positions in the CFS and in four transects at distances of 3, 6, 10 and 15 m from the tree bands in both the north and south faces of the ICLF systems. There were no differences between soybean grown under the ICLF and CFS systems with respect to specific leaf area, plant density, lodging index and mass of a thousand grains. However, the ICLF increased dry leaf mass and leaf area index and reduced soybean plant heights. Soybean productivity was reduced by 26% in ICLF-T and 14% in ICLF-S, that is, a 12% reduction in the productivity loss with systematic thinning. It is concluded that ICLF reduces soybean productivity in the effective grain production area of the system, regardless of the degree of thinning, although systematic thinning by removing the lateral tree lines to conversion of triple-rows into single-rows minimizes the loss of soybean grain yield.

Global shift in a key plant trait indicates a change in biosphere function

“…We calculated the mean canopy LMA to the best of our ability, depending on the information available. This included using mean canopy LMA as provided in the literature (for Mato Grosso, from [67][68][69] ), using average species abundances and locally sampled species mean LMA from the literature (for Manitoba, combining trait and species abundance information from [70][71][72] ), or from locally sampled trait and abundance data from our research group (Crested Butte and San Emilio). It is important to note that these temporal datasets have some limitations compared to the field data used for the spatial tests calibration, and its comparison with satellite data should be aware of such limitations.…”

Agronomic and physiological responses of corn intercropped with palisadegrass growing in full sun or in a crop‐livestock‐forestry systems

“…However, the lack of knowledge of native species in integrated systems and their interactions with the other systems components results in low adoption of these species (Amazonas et al, 2018). On the other hand, the use of exotic species such as the eucalyptus is widely used in integrated systems in several regions, including the Amazon biome (Behling et al, 2023; Domiciano et al, 2020). The wide use of this species is due, among other factors, to the high growth rate, good wood quality, and low canopy density, allowing greater light passage (de Oliveira et al, 2022).…”