Abstract
In recent years, Eucalyptus globulus planted along field boundaries has come to dominate the central highland landscape of Ethiopia. Although evidence is scanty, there is a perception that this practice adversely affects crop productivity. An on-farm trial was conducted on Pellic Vertisol at Ginchi to determine the production potential of eucalypt boundaries and their effect on the productivity of adjacent crops of tef (Eragrostis tef) and wheat (Triticum sp.). The experiment comprised three stand ages, four field aspects and six distances from the tree-crop interface, using a split-split plot design with three replicates. Wood production rates ranged between 168 kg ha−1 y−1 (four years old) and 2901 kg ha−1 y−1 (twelve years). Thus eucalypt boundaries planted on a hectare of land would satisfy 50 to 75% of the annual biomass energy requirement of a rural household of five persons. Significant depression of tef and wheat yields occurred over the first 12m from the tree line: the reduction was 20 to 73% for tef and 20 to 51% for wheat, equivalent to yield losses of 4.4 to 26% and 4.5 to 10% per hectare respectively. Nevertheless, in financial terms, the tree component adequately compensated for crop yield reduction and even generated additional income. Therefore, eucalypt boundaries have great potential to satisfy the rising demand for wood, without requiring a major change in land use on the highland Vertisols. The greater availability of wood will reduce the demand for dung and crop residues for fuel, and thus may contribute to improved soil management on croplands while relieving the increasing pressure on indigenous forest and woodlands.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. Bojo D. Cassels (1995) Land degradation and rehabilitation in Ethiopia: A reassessment The World Bank Washington, DC
InstitutionalAuthorNameEFAP (1993) Ethiopian forestry action program: Final report Ministry of Natural Resource Development and Environmental Protection Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 63
Eswaran H. and Cook T. 1988. Classification and management related properties of Vertisols. In Jutzi S.C., Haque H., Mclntire J. and Stares J.E.S. (eds), Management of Vertisols in sub-Saharan Africa. Proceedings of a conference held at ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 31 August-4 September 1987. 64-84 pp
FAO ( Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) 1985. The ecological effects of Eucalyptus. FAO Forestry Paper No. 59, Rome, pp 85.
A. Gezahegn M. Tekalign (1995) ArticleTitleDeterminants of demand for fertilizer in Vertisol cropping systems of Ethiopia Tropical Agriculture (Trinidad) 72 165–169
IUCN 1990. Workshop Report on Human Population Dynamics and Resource Demand; 30 Nov. to 1 Dec., 1990; The World Conservation Union 18th General Assembly, Perth, Australia.
M.L. Khybri R.K. Gupta R. Sewa H.P.S. Tomar (1992) ArticleTitleCrop yields of rice and wheat grown in rotation as intercrops with tree species in the outer hills of Western Himalayas Agroforestry Systems 17 193–204 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00054147
N. Lisanework A. Michelsen (1993) ArticleTitleAllelopathy in agroforestry systems: the effects of leaf extracts of Cupressus lustanica and three Eucalyptus spps. on four Ethiopian crops Agroforestry Systems 21 63–74 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00704926
R.S. Malik S.K. Sharma (1990) ArticleTitleMoisture extraction and crop yield as a function of distance from a row of Eucalyptus tereticornis Agroforestry Systems 12 87–128 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00123473
A. Michelsen N. Lisanework I. Friis (1993) ArticleTitleImpacts of tree plantation in the Ethiopian highland on soil fertility, shoot and root growth, nutrient utilization and mycorrhizal colonization Forest Ecology and Management 61 299–324 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0378-1127(93)90208-5
InstitutionalAuthorNameMSTAT- C (1991) A microcomputer program for the design, management and analysis of agronomic research experiments Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan, USA
C.K. Ong C.R. Black F.M. Marshall J.E. Corlett (1996) Principles of resource capture and utilization of light and water C.K. Ong P. Huxley (Eds) Tree-crop interactions. A Physiological approach CAB International Wallingford, UK 73–158
L.O.Z. Onyewotu M.A. Ogigirigi C.J. Stigter (1994) ArticleTitleA study of the competitive effects between a Eucalyptus camaldulensis shelterbelt and adjacent millet (Pennisetum typhoides) crop Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 51 281–286 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0167-8809(94)90139-2
Peter D.B. 1965. Water availability.. In: CA Black(eds), Methods of soil analysis. Part I. Physical and mineralogical methods. Agronomy Monograph No. 9, Madison, Wisconsin, pp 279-285
V. Pohjonen T. Pukkala (1990) ArticleTitle Eucalyptus globulus in Ethiopian Forestry Forest Ecology and Management 36 19–31 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0378-1127(90)90061-F
T. Pukkala V. Pohjonen (1989) Forest inventory and management planning in the fuelwood plantations of Ethiopia Faculty of Forestry, Joensuu University Finland 110
M.R. Rao R.D. Coe (1991) ArticleTitleMeasuring crop yields in on-farm agroforestry studies Agroforestry Systems 15 275–289
C.M. Striling J.H. Williams C.R. Black C.K. Ong (1990) ArticleTitleThe effect of timing of shade on developments dry matter production and light use efficiency in ground net (Arachis hypogaea) under field condition Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 41 633–644
E. Teklu K. Selamyihun M. Tekalign A. Mesfin (1999) ArticleTitleEffects of land preparation methods on runoff and soil loss on Vertisols at Ginchi (Ethiopia) Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 2 1–15
M. Noordwijk ParticleVan G. Lawson A. Soumare J.J.R. Groot K. Hairiah (1996) Root distribution of trees and crops: Competition and/or complementary C.K. Ong P. Huxley (Eds) Tree-crop interactions. A Physiological approach CAB International Wallingford, UK 319–364
I. Verinumbe (1987) ArticleTitleCrop production on soil under some forest plantations in the Sahel Agroforestry Systems 5 185–188 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00047521
Y. Zohar (1985) ArticleTitleRoot distribution of a Eucalyptus shelterbelt Forest Ecology and Management 12 305–307 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0378-1127(85)90098-2
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kidanu, S., Mamo, T. & Stroosnijder, L. Biomass production of Eucalyptus boundary plantations and their effect on crop productivity on Ethiopian highland Vertisols. Agroforest Syst 63, 281–290 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-005-5169-z
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-005-5169-z