Department of Agroforestry and

Environmental Science
Course Code:259
Course title: Agroforestry

Tree crop interactions in Agroforestry

Professor Dr. Nazmun Naher

Component interaction
According to the definition of ICRAF (International
Centre for Research in Agroforestry), Components of
Agroforestry are:
• Tree or woody perennials
• Crops
• Animals

➢ Interactions literally mean influence or mutual or

reciprocal action

➢ Component interaction refers to the influence of

one component of a system on the performance of
other component.
Competition occurs because
➢ The components have common growth resources
➢ Competition is more acute where the components
are incompatible

The growth resources are

✓ Light
✓ Water
✓ Nutrients
Which are together called Resource pool
Interaction occurs
i. above ground and
ii. below ground

interactions relating to-

➢ Radiation exchange
➢ The water balance
➢ Nutrient budget and cycling
➢ Shelter and
➢ Other microclimatic modifications
Types of interaction
1. Positive( Beneficial or production enhancing)
2. Negative ( Harmful or production decreasing)

Besides These Interaction also may be

➢ Complementary : When the interaction is positive, there is
complementarities between the components

➢ Supplementary: Complementary force = Competitive

force

➢ Competitive: there is competition if interaction is

negative
Interactions based on components
i. Tree-Crop interactions or Tree-Crop interface
(TCI)
ii. Tree-Animal interactions or Tree-Animal
interface (TAI)

Forms of competition
➢ A. One species directly affects the other e.g.
allelopathy
➢ B. Species indirectly affect one another by
altering the environment around themselves
➢ C. Species compete indirectly via encouraging
an enemy of other species
Possible types of interactions between two components at TCI
(Suppose X and Y)
Types of Effect of the Nature of the interactions Agroforestry
interactions interaction on example
the population
X Y
Neutralism 0 0 None of the population affects Scattered trees
the other
Inhibition/ - - Each population is directly Alley cropping
Competition inhibited by the other (Poorly managed)
Mutualism + + Each other is benefited Mycorrhizae,
Rhizobium-
legume
Commensalism + 0 Interaction obligatory for X; Y Support trees for
not affected vines
Facilitation + 0 Interaction favorable for X Windbreaks,
but not obligatory ;Y not shade trees, Alley
affected cropping (well
managed)
Amensalism - 0 X is inhibited; Y not affected Allelopathy
Parasitism/ + - Interaction obligatory for X; Y is Pest and disease
Predation inhibited.

0 : no significant interaction, + : advantage for the components , - : disadvantage for the components
Positive and negative interactions at the TCI and TAI

Type At Tree-Crop Interface (TCI) At Tree-Animal

Interface (TAI)
Positive a. Shading trees (stress reduction) a. Shading
b. Efficiently use of light (PAR) or reduce b. Manure deposition
waste of light resources
c. Biomass contribution
d. Microclimatic amelioration
e. Balanced utilization of nutrients
f. Efficient use of aerial space
g. Water conservation
h. Weed suppression
i. Soil conservation
Negative a. Light competition a. Phytotoxins
b. Nutrient competition b.Browsing; damage
c. Water competition c. Trampling
d. Weed growth increasing d.Disease or pest host
e. Allelopathy
 Positive interactions
Shading trees
➢ beneficial for shade loving crops like turmeric,
zinger etc.
➢ beneficial for shade tolerant crops like
pineapple, some vegetables e.g., okra, aroids
etc.
➢ Shading causes reduction of
temperature(average max. temp 5.40c lower and
the min. temp 1.50c higher in shaded versus
open grown coffee plantations)
➢ A reduction of VPD(Vapor Pressure Deficit) will
cause a corresponding reduction in transpiration
Efficient use of light
• Light interception by monoculture never be achieved 100%,
• in agroforestry system understorey crops can utilize defuse
lights,
• A multilayered agroforestry system efficiently utilizes light
(PAR) or reduces waste of light by using light in different
layers.
• Photosynthetic efficiencies
In agriculturally advanced areas 2-2.5 %
Global basis < 1 % and
In agroforestry systems 1.7% to 2.38%.

• For high intensity, multiple cropping systems involving three

crops per year and total crop duration of up to 340 days per
year ( Nair et al.,1973)
Biomass contribution
Biomass can add by
➢ pruning materials,
➢ litter fall
➢ root residues
which add organic matter, improve soil condition and
thereby increase the productivity.

Soil conservation
➢ Closely planted shrub hedges can control soil erosion
efficiently
➢ Hedge row barrier (alley cropping)
➢ Wind-breaks directly serve to control soil erosion
Balanced utilization of nutrient

➢ Crop utilized nutrient from upper 6 inch layer

which is continuously enriched by litter fall and

➢ pruning materials and root residues

decomposition

➢ Bringing up nutrients released by weathering in

lower soil horizons

➢Trapping and recycling of nutrients that would

otherwise have been lost by leaching
Fig. Nutrient recycling in Agroforestry System. Positive interaction between tree and crop
Microclimate amelioration
➢ Increasing soil moisture
➢ Reducing soil temperature
➢ Add organic matter and nutrients through
litterfall and root decomposition
➢ Trapping and recycling of nutrients from
deeper zone etc

Efficient utilization of aerial space

Optimal utilization of aerial space both
➢ horizontally and
➢ vertically, e.g. Homestead agroforestry
Water conservation
➢ Reducing transpiration,
➢ pumping water from the deep soil
➢ improve water holding capacity
➢ reduce water loss by runoff
➢ reduce soil evaporation

Weed suppression
Effect of shade is more severe for light
demanding weeds, e.g. in alley cropping
system Cassa siamea reduce weed infestation.