Source: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA submitted to
ESTABLISHING A CENTER FOR SUBTROPICAL AGROFORESTRY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0186475
Grant No.
00-52103-9702
Project No.
FLA-FOR-03900
Proposal No.
2000-04301
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2000
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2005
Grant Year
2000
Project Director
Nair, R. P.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611
Performing Department
FOREST RESOURCES & CONSERVATION
Non Technical Summary
Scientific understanding, trained personnel, and information-dissemination mechanisms relating to agroforestry are very limited. A Center for Subtropical Agroforestry will be establihed to undertake research in biophysical, environmental, and economic aspects, extension, and education and training activities relating to agroforestry.
Animal Health Component
5%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
15%
Applied
60%
Developmental
25%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1250199107045%
1250199301025%
1250199302020%
1250699303010%
Knowledge Area
125 - Agroforestry;

Subject Of Investigation
0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general; 0199 - Soil and land, general;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology; 3020 - Education; 3030 - Information and communication; 3010 - Economics;
Goals / Objectives
A Center for Subtropical Agroforestry will be established to (1) undertake agroforestry research relevant to southeastern U.S. and elsewhere in the subtropics, (2) develop appropriate mechanisms for disseminating the results of research to targeted clientele, and (3) support education and training in agroforestry at various levels ranging from farmers and other land-users to scientists and other professionals.
Project Methods
The project will have nine investigators and several collaborators from different parts of the US Southeast and Virgin Islands. Research in tree-crop interactions, alley cropping and silvopastoral systems at diverse locations, data management and decision support systems, and ecological economic evaluations will provide the scientific basis to develop appropriate technologies. The extension component will formulate strategies to increase the adoption of technologies that are developed through research activities. Training and education activities will be targeted to further scientific expertise, to produce field technicians, and to train landowners in agroforestry techniques. More specifically, advanced education will be linked with research component, while training activities will be linked with extension.

Progress 09/15/00 to 09/30/05

Outputs
Eight sub-projects that formed the core of the USDA-CSREES-IFAFS-approved proposal leading to the establishment of CSTAF (Center for Subtropical Agroforestry) were undertaken: 1. At UF, Gainesville, economic studies on silvopasture focused on estimating landowners' willingness to pay for non-tangible benefits and assessing farmers' willingness to adopt the system. 2. The Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System, a web-based tool to assist in planning and tree/shrub selection, was developed at UF, Gainesville, with data for 12 Florida counties in the system. 3. At UF, Milton, FL, tree-crop interactions were quantified in alley cropping systems of loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and pecan, with cotton as the understory species. 4. In silvopastoral research at Ona, Florida, tree survival, wood yields, commercial value of 13 year-old south-Florida slash pine, cattle and goat production, and forage yield were determined, and factors affecting establishment of Leucaena leucocephala, a tropical tree legume, were investigated. 5. At FAMU, Quincy, FL, silvopasture forage trials were established and run for four years. 6. Possible use of agroforestry techniques (such as organic and conventional till alley-cropping) for improving the economic viability of organic farming was investigated at the U. of Georgia, Athens. 7. Two studies were undertaken to investigate the environmental benefits of agroforestry: (i) soil runoff research at Auburn Univ., AL; and (ii) nutrient monitoring studies (based at UF, Gainesville) in the pecan/cotton intercropping plots in Milton, FL, and silvopastoral systems in different parts of FL. 8. At the U. of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix, on-farm and on-station trials investigated intercropping of Morinda citrifolia and Moringa oleifera with hot pepper and medicinal and culinary herbs. The extension component of the project developed and published a multi-media agroforestry curriculum guide for extension agents, held in-service training workshops for extension professionals, and published on CSTAF website (http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu) the first case studies of a network of agroforestry demonstration sites. Publications from the project were organized as a CD and a hard-copy binder consisting of peer-reviewed journal articles (28), books (2), book chapters (6), abstracts of M. S. theses and technical reports (7) and Ph D dissertations (5), Fact Sheets (6), Newsletters (7), and other literature (19). Other CSTAF activities supported by funds from other sources included a USDA-TSTAR agroforestry research project in the U.S. Virgin Islands to develop a decision support extension tool and promote native tree planting; and developing a Web-based agroforestry distance education course at the University of Florida and an agroforestry field course at the University of Georgia as part of a USDA Higher Education Challenge grant. A third year of funding was awarded to the TSTAR project. CSTAF took an active part in organizing and presenting the highly-successful 1st World Congress of Agroforestry held in Orlando, Florida in June-July 2004 (http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wca).

Impacts
Scientifically rigorous information on the economic, productive, and environmental benefits of agroforestry systems in southeastern United States are now becoming available and being disseminated to land users. Land-use decisions based on such information will help stabilize farm incomes and improve environmental conditions. A large number of undergraduate and graduate students, extension professionals, and landowners in the southeast have been trained in agroforestry.

Publications

  • Alavalapati J.R.R., Mercer D.E. (eds.). 2004. Valuing Agroforestry Systems: Methods and Applications. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Allen S., Jose S., Nair P.K.R., Nair V.D., Graetz D. Brecke B.J., Ramsey C.L. 2005. Nitrogen mineralization in a pecan (Carya illinoensis K. Koch)-cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) alley cropping system in the southern United States. Biology and Fertility of Soils 41:28-37.
  • Allen, S.C., Nair V.D., Graetz D.A., Jose S. 2005. Soil phosphorus accumulation in an alley cropping system on an Ultisol. Soil and Water Science Research Brief 01-05. Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. http://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/department/briefs/sws01-05.pdf.
  • Bannister M.E., Nair P. K. R. 2003. Agroforestry adoption in Haiti: the importance of household- and farm characteristics. Agroforestry Systems 57:149-157.
  • Clingerman J.E. 2005. Agroforestry education for landowners of the future: Developing a 4H project book. MFRC Technical Report, University of Florida.
  • Clingerman J. 2005. Journey into agroforestry: youth activity book. UF/IFAS/SFRC 4H FOM #.
  • Clingerman J., Strong N. 2003. Forest Riparian Buffers. CSTAF Fact Sheet 3. University of Florida Center for Subtropical Agroforestry, http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu/Pages pct 20from pct 20new pct 20rip pct 20buff.pdf.
  • Ellis E.A., Nair P.K.R., Jeswani S.D. 2005. Development of a Web-based application for agroforestry planning and tree selection. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 49:129-141.
  • Ellis E., Strong N. 2003. Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System (SEADSS). CSTAF Fact Sheet 4. University of Florida Center for Subtropical Agroforestry, http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu/Pages pct 20from pct 20cstaf pct 20SEADSS.pdf.
  • Ezenwa, I.V. and R.S. Kalmbacher. 2005. Emergence and survival of leucaena on poorly drained soil and management practices to mitigate negative effects. Tropical Grasslands 39:88-98.
  • Ezenwa I.V. 2004. Nursery techniques for production of uniform Leucaena seedlings for transplanting. Caprine Chronicle 19:22-23.
  • Palada M.C., Becker B.N., Mitchell J.M. 2004. Growth and yield of hot pepper in hedgerow intercropping with Morinda citrifolia during early establishment. Proc. Caribbean Food Crops Soc. 40: 22-28.
  • Palada M.C., Becker B.N., Mitchell J.M., Nair, P.K.R.. 2003. Cultivation of medicinal plants in alley cropping systems with Moringa oleifera in the Virgin Islands. Pp. 60-76 In: Y.N. Clement and C.E. Seaforth (eds.). Proc. 6th International Workshop on Herbal Medicines for the Caribbean, University of West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. June 27-29, 2003.
  • Palada, M.C., Becker, B.N., Mitchell, J.M., O'Keefe, D.A. 2003. Conserving indigenous medicinal plants in agroforestry systems. VI Agriculture and Food Fair Bulletin 17:25-27.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S. 2004. Forage and livestock production in silvopasture. The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal, December 2004:8.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S., Martin F.G. 2005. Leucaena seedling growth with surface and subsoil incorporation of dolomite and dolomite-gypsum mixtures. Soil and Crops Science Society of Florida Proceedings 64. (in press).
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S., Williams M.J., Gary L.A., Arthington J.D. 2004a. Leucaena Provides a High-Protein Grazing for Goats, Part 1. Caprine Chronicle 19: 14.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S., Williams M.J., Gary L.A., Arthington J.D. 2004b. Leucaena Provides a High-Protein Grazing for Goats, Part 2. Caprine Chronicle 19:8.
  • Ezenwa I.V. 2004. Forage/cow-calf production in slash pine-Bahiagrass silvopasture. Range Cattle REC Research Report RC-2004-3.
  • Ezenwa I.V. 2003a. Agroforestry systems for sustainable beef production in south-central Florida. Range Cattle Research and Education Center Field Day, May 15, 2003. Range Cattle REC, Ona Research Report RC-2003-2, pp. 17-21.
  • Ezenwa I.V. 2003b. Growing leucaena in south Florida. Range Cattle Research and Education Center Newsletter, June 2003, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp.4-5.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S. 2003a. Forage production from silvopastures in south Florida. Range Cattle Research and Education Center Newsletter, March 2003, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp.4-6.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S. 2003b. Silvopasture: a viable land stewardship option for the livestock industry. Range Cattle REC-Ona 2003 Annual Research Report: 241-242.
  • Kabaluapa N.K. 2004. Agronomic, economic, and environmental effects of alley cropping and terracing in North Alabama. Ph.D. dissertation, Auburn University.
  • Kalmbacher R.S., Ezenwa I.V. 2003. Forage and cattle production in slash pine-bahiagrass silvopasture at Ona. Range Cattle Research and Education Center Newsletter, December 2003, Vol. 6 No. 4, p.2.
  • Long A.J. 2003. Economic options to increase the value of your ranchlands. P. 98-105 in Proc. 52nd Annual Beef Cattle Short Course, Univ. of Florida, April 30-May 2.
  • Montambault, J. and J.R.R. Alavalapati. 2005. Socioeconomic research in agroforestry: A decade. Agroforestry Systems 65:151-161.
  • Nair P.K.R., Bannister M.E., Nair V.D., Alavalapati J.R.R., Ellis E.A., Jose S., Long A.J. 2005. Silvopasture in southeastern United States: More than just a new name for an old practice. In: M.R. Mosquera-Losada, A. Riguero-Rodriquez, J. McAdam (eds.), Silvopastoralism and Sustainable Management International Congress, Lugo, Spain, April 18-24, 2004. CAB International.
  • Nair P.K.R., Allen S.C., Bannister M.E. 2005. Agroforestry today: a content analysis of the 750 presentations to the 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, 2004. Journal of Forestry (in press).
  • Nair V.D., Kalmbacher R.S., Nair P.K.R. 2005. Reducing nutrient loss from farms through silvopastoral practices in coarse-textured soils of Florida, USA. In: M.R. Mosquera-Losada, A. Riguero-Rodriquez, J. McAdam (eds.), Silvopastoralism and Sustainable Management International Congress, Lugo, Spain, April 18-24, 2004. CAB International.
  • Nair V.D., Allen S.C., Kalmbacher R.S., Graetz D.A. 2004. Potential of silvopastoral practices to reduce nutrient loss from Florida soils. Soil and Water Science Research Brief 04-05. Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. http://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/department/briefs/sws04-05.pdf
  • Napolitano K.E. 2005. Belowground interactions in pecan (Carya illinoensis) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) based alley cropping systems in the southeastern United States. MFRC Technical Report, University of Florida.
  • Nowak J., Long A. 2004. Slash pine in integrated timber, forage and livestock silvopastoral systems. P. 98-104 in Dickens, E.D., J.P. Barnett, W.G. Hubbard and E.J. Jokela (eds.), Slash pine: Still growing and growing! Proceedings of the slash pine symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-76. Asheville, NC: USDA, Forest Service, Southern Research Station.
  • Nowak, J., Long A., Blount A. 2003. Establishment of silvopasture in existing pastures. UF/IFAS EDIS Database FOR-107, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FR145.
  • Onokpise, O.U., Whilby L.A.. 2005. Evaluating forage grass cultivars for an Agroforestry System. Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida Proceedings 64. (in press).
  • Palada M.C., Mitchell J.M., Becker B.N., Nair P.K.R. 2005. The integration of medicinal plants and culinary herbs in agroforestry systems for the Caribbean: A study in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Acta Horticulturae 676:147-153.
  • Palada M.C., Becker B.N., Mitchell J.M. 2004. Cultivation of medicinal plants in alley cropping system with Moringa oleifera in the Virgin Islands. VI Agriculture and Food Fair Bulletin 18:34-39.
  • Palada M.C., Mitchell J.M., O'Keefe D.A. 2002. Establishment, early growth and development of Morinda (Morinda citrifolia L.) in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. pp. 38-43 In: T. Zimmerman (ed.) Proc. 7th Caribbean Urban Forestry Conference, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • Ramsey C. L., Jose, S. 2002. Management challenges of pecan and pine based alley cropping systems of the Southern United States. Pp. 158-163. Temperate Agroforestry: Adaptive and Mitigative Roles. Schroder W. and Kort, J. (eds). Plains and Prarie Forestry Association, Regina, Canada.
  • Rao, M.R., Palada, M.C., and. Becker, B.N. 2004. Medicinal and aromatic plants in agroforestry systems. p. 282-290 In: C. Elevitch (ed.), The Overstory Book: Cultivating Connections with Trees, 2nd edition. Permanent Agriculture Resources, Holualoa, Hawaii.
  • Rao M.R., Palada M.C., Becker B.N. 2004. Medicinal and aromatic plants in agroforestry. Asia-Pacific Agroforestry Newsletter APANews 24:4-6.
  • Reichlen J.J. 2004. The effects of root-pruning on productivity in an alley cropping system in the Georgia Piedmont, USA. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Georgia.
  • Shrestha R.K., Alavalapati J.R.R. 2004a. Effect of ranchland attributes on recreational hunting in Florida: A hedonic price analysis. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics 36:763-772.
  • Shrestha R.K., Alavalapati J.R.R., Kalmbacher R. 2004. Exploring the potential for silvopasture adoption in south-central Florida: An application of SWOT-AHP method. Agricultural Systems 81:185-199.
  • Stainback G.A., Alavalapati J.R.R. 2004. Restoring longleaf pine through silvopasture practices: An economic analysis. Forest Policy and Economics 6:371-378.
  • Strong N. 2003a. Forest Farming Shiitake Mushrooms. CSTAF Fact Sheet 1. University of Florida Center for Subtropical Agroforestry, http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu/Pages pct 20from pct 20cstaf pct 20shiitake.pdf.
  • Strong N. 2003b. Market Research: Finding Your Niche. CSTAF Fact Sheet 2. University of Florida Center for Subtropical Agroforestry, http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu/cstaffactsheetniche.pdf.
  • Timko T.T. 2004. Economic impact of adopting silvopasture in Florida: A computable general equilibrium analysis. M.S. thesis, University of Florida.
  • Timko T., Alavalapati J.R.R. 2004. Economic impact of adopting silvopasture in Florida: A CGE analysis. Proceedings of the Southern Forest Economics Workers Annual Conference, March 14-16, 2004, St. Augustine, Florida, pp 294-303.
  • Walle, R.J., Workman S.W. 2005. Using a watershed focus for monitoring and evaluation of soil and water conservation in Nicaragua. In Monitoring and Evaluation of Soil Conservation and Watershed Development, J. de Graaff, C. Pieri, S. Sombatpanit, J. Cameron (eds.), Kluwer, The Netherlands. (in press)
  • Whilby L.A. 2004. Evaluation of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) as pastorable pastures under newly thinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. M.S. thesis, Florida A&M University.
  • Workman S.W., Monroe M.C., Long A.J. 2005. Program design for agroforestry extension in the southeastern USA. Small-scale Forest Economics, Management and Policy (in press).
  • Workman S.W., Ellis E.A., Bannister M.E., Palada M.C. 2004. Participatory survey and tree crop preferences on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. pp. 174-179 In Proceedings 40th Caribbean Food Crop Society, St. John USVI. ISSN 95-07-0410.
  • Workman S., Allen S.C., Jose S. 2003. Alley cropping combinations for the southeastern U.S. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Fact Sheet, FOR 106. UF/IFAS EDIS Database, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_FR142
  • Workman S.W., Bannister M.E., Nair P.K.R. 2002. Agroforestry in the southeastern United States: Current practices and potential for development. Pp. 81-93. Temperate Agroforestry: Adaptive and Mitigative Roles. Schroder W. and Kort, J. (eds). Plains and Prarie Forestry Association, Regina, Canada.
  • Zamora D.S. 2005. Competitive interactions in a pecan (Carya illinoensis K. Koch) - cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) alley cropping system in the Southern United States. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida.


Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
All eight research activities that form the core of the USDA-CSREES-IFAFS-approved proposal leading to the establishment of CSTAF (Center for Subtropical Agroforestry) progressed satisfactorily. 1. At UF, Gainesville, economic studies focused on silvopasture: estimating landowners willingness to pay for non-tangible benefits, assessing farmers willingness to adopt the system, and estimating the effectiveness of phosphorus runoff taxes and carbon sequestration payments on system adoption. 2. Work on developing the Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System, a web-based tool that will assist in planning and tree/shrub selection, progressed well at UF, Gainesville, with data for 12 Florida counties in the system. 3. At UF, Milton, FL, tree-crop interactions were quantified in alley cropping systems of loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and pecan, with cotton as the understory species. 4. In silvopastoral research at Ona, Florida, tree survival, wood yields, commercial value of 13 year-old south-Florida slash pine, cattle and goat production, and forage yield were determined, and factors affecting establishment of Leucaena leucocephala, a tropical tree legume, were investigated. Data suggest meat goat production will be profitable in a Leucaena silvopasture system but forage and cattle production is decreased compared to open pasture. 5. At FAMU, Quincy, FL, silvopasture forage trials were established and are now in their third year. 6. Possible use of agroforestry techniques (such as organic and conventional till alley-cropping) for improving the economic viability of organic farming was investigated at the U. of Georgia, Athens. 7. Two studies continue to investigate the environmental benefits of agroforestry: (i) soil runoff research at Auburn Univ., AL; and (ii) nutrient monitoring study (based at UF, Gainesville) in the pecan/cotton intercropping plots in Milton, FL. 8. At the U. of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix, on-farm and on-station trials investigate intercropping of Morinda citrifolia and Moringa oleifera with hot pepper and medicinal and culinary herbs. The extension component of the project developed and published a multi-media agroforestry curriculum guide for extension agents. Three in-service training workshops were held with 45 extension professionals, and the first case studies of a network of agroforestry demonstration sites were published on the CSTAF web site (http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu). Two agroforestry fact sheets (goats under trees, and specialty mushrooms) and two issues of the CSTAF newsletter were published. Other CSTAF activities supported by funds from other sources included completing a three-month field season on the USDA-TSTAR agroforestry research project in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and completing an agroforestry field course at the University of Georgia as part of a USDA Higher Education Challenge grant to develop an agroforestry distance education course. A third year of funding was awarded to the TSTAR project. CSTAF took an active part in organizing and presenting the highly-successful 1st World Congress of Agroforestry held in Orlando, Florida in June-July 2004 (http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wca).

Impacts
Scientifically rigorous information on the economic, productive, and environmental benefits of agroforestry systems in southeastern United States are now becoming available and being disseminated to land users. Land-use decisions based on such information will help stabilize farm incomes and improve environmental conditions.

Publications

  • Alavalapati, J.R.R., Shrestha, R.K. Stainback, A. and Matta, J.R. 2004. Agroforestry development: An environmental economic perspective. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 299-310.
  • Allen, S.C., Jose, S., Nair, P.K.R., Brecke, B.J. and Ramsey, C.L. 2004. Competition for 15N-labeled fertilizer in a pecan (Carya illinoensis K. Koch) - cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) alley cropping system in the southern United States. Plant and Soil 263: 151-164.
  • Allen, S.C., Jose, S. Nair, P.K.R., Brecke, B.J., Nkedi-Kizza, P. and Ramsey, C.L 2004. Safety-net role of tree roots: Evidence from a pecan (Carya illinoensis K. Koch) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) alley cropping system in the southern United States. For. Ecol. Manage. 192: 395-407.
  • Allen S.C, Nair, V. D, Jose S., and Graetz D. 2004. Tree-crop competition for nutrients in a pecan-cotton agroforestry system in the southeastern USA. In: 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02 , 2004, Orlando, FL; Book of Abstracts, p164.
  • Bannister M.E. 2004. A web-based agroforestry distance education course for undergraduates in the southeastern U.S. In 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02, 2004, Orlando, FL; Book of Abstracts, p295.
  • Becker, B. N. 2004. Integration of Medicianl and Culinary Herbs in Agroforestry Combinations on St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands. MS Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
  • Bellow, J. G. 2004. Fruit-Tree-Based Agroforestry in the Western Highlands of Guatemala: An Evaluation of Tree-Crop Interactions and Socioeconomic Characteristics. Ph D Dissertation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
  • Onokpise, O.U. and Whilby, L.A. 2004. Tree growth of thinned loblolly pines in Quincy, North Florida. Florida Scientist 67: 6-7.
  • Onokpise, O.U., McKenzie-Jakes, A., Whilby, L.A., and Strong, N. 2004. Goats among trees: A silvopastoral possibility. CSTAF Fact Sheet #6.
  • Onokpise, O.U. and Whilby, L.A. 2004. Comparative tree growth of thinned loblolly pines for use in an agroforestry system. In: 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02, 2004. Orlando, FL; Book of Abstracts, p386.
  • Onokpise, O.U. and Whilby, L.A. 2004. Utilizing meat goats in loblolly pine agroforestry systems. In: 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02, 2004, Orlando, FL; Book of Abstracts, p386.
  • Rao, M.R., Palada, M.C. and Becker, B.N. 2004. Medicinal and aromaticplants in agroforestry systems. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62:107-122.
  • Shrestha, R.K. and Alavalapati, J.R.R. 2004. Estimating ranchers cost of agroforestry adoption: A contingent valuation approach. In: Valuing agroforestry systems: Methods and applications. Alavalapati, J.R.R. and Mercer, E. (eds.), Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp 183-199.
  • Shrestha, R.K. and Alavalapati, J.R.R. 2004. Valuing Environmental Benefits of Silvopasture Practice: A Case Study of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed in Florida. Ecol. Econ. 49: 349-359.
  • Stainback G.A. and Alavalapati, J.R.R. 2004. Modeling Catastrophic Risk in Economic Analysis of Forest Carbon Sequestration. Natural Resource Modeling. 17: 299-317.
  • Stainback G.A., Alavalapati, J.R.R. Shrestha, R.K., Larkin S. and Wong, G. 2004. Effect of pollution taxes and carbon payments on the adoption of silvopasture. J. Agri. Appl. Econ. 36: 481-489.
  • Strong, N. 2004. Agroforestry Educator Curriculum Guide. University of Florida Center for Subtropical Agroforestry. CD.
  • Strong, N. 2004. Value-Adding Strategies for Specialty Mushroom Enterprises. CSTAF Fact Sheet 5. University of Florida Center for Subtropical Agroforestry.
  • Cole, D. M. 2004. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Peach Palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) in Agroforestry Systems of the Peruvian Amazon. MS Thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
  • Ellis, E.A., Bentrup, G. and Schoeneberger, M.M. 2004. Computer-based tools for decision support in agroforestry: Current state and future needs. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 401-421.
  • Ezenwa, I.V., Kalmbacher, R.S., Williams, M.J. Gary, L.A. and Arthington, J.D. 2004. Liveweight gain of meat goats grazing leucaena-bahiagrass pasture. Range Cattle Research and Education Center Newsletter, March 2003, Vol. 7 No.1, pp.5-6.
  • Jose, S., Gillespie, A.R., and Pallardy, S.G. 2004. Interspecific interactions in temperate agroforestry. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 237-235.
  • Jordan, C.F. 2004. Organic farming and agroforestry: Alleycropping for mulch production for organic farms of southeastern Unites States. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 79-90.
  • Montagnini F. and Nair, P.K.R. 2004. Carbon sequestration: An under-exploited environmental benefit of agroforestry systems. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 281-295.
  • Murray G., and Bannister, M.E. 2004. Peasants, agroforesters, and anthropologists: A 20-year venture in income-generating trees and hedgerows in Haiti. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 383-397.
  • Nair, P.K.R., Rao, M.R., and Buck, L.E. (eds.). 2004. New Vistas in Agroforestry: A Compendium for the 1st World Congress of Agroforestry. Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 480 pp.
  • Nair, V.D., and Graetz, D.A. 2004. Agroforestry as an approach to minimizing nutrient loss from heavily fertilized soils: The Florida experience. Agrofor. Syst. 61&62: 269-279.
  • Nair, V.D., Kalmbacher, R.S., Allen, S.C., Graetz, D.A. Ellis, E.A., and Ezenwa. I. 2004. Phosphorus and nitrogen dynamics in silvopasture, open pasture and rangeland in south-central Florida. In: 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02, 2004, Orlando, FL; Book of Abstracts, p194.
  • Nair, V.D., Portier, K.M., Graetz, D.A., and Walker, M.L. 2004. An environmental threshold for degree of phosphorus saturation in sandy soils. J. Environ. Qual. 33:107-113.
  • Onokpise, O.U. 2004. Agrosilvopastoral systems with small animals in Southern United States. In: 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02, 2004, Orlando, FL; Book of Abstracts, p79.
  • Wanvestraut, R., Jose, S., Nair, P.K.R and Brecke, B.J. 2004. Competition for water in a pecan-cotton alley cropping system in the southern United States. Agrofor. Syst. 60: 167-179.
  • Whilby, L.A. and Onokpise, O.U. 2004. Bahiagrass performance between tree rows of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L). Florida Scientist 67:2.
  • Whilby, L.A. and Onokpise, O.U. 2004. Changes in physical and chemical properties of soil under pastorable pastures in rows of thinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L) trees. In: 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, June 27-July 02, 2004, Orlando, FL; Book of Astracts, p408.


Progress 10/01/02 to 10/01/03

Outputs
All eight research activities that form the core of the USDA-CSREES-IFAFS-approved proposal leading to the establishment of CSTAF (Center for Subtropical Agroforestry) progressed satisfactorily. 1. At UF, Gainesville, economic studies focused on silvopasture: estimating landowners willingness to pay for non-tangible benefits, assessing farmers willingness to adopt the system, describing the system relationship to hunting revenues, and estimating the effectiveness of phosphorus runoff taxes and carbon sequestration payments on system adoption. 2. Work on developing the Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System, a web-based tool that will assist in planning and tree/shrub selection, progressed well at UF, Gainesville, with data for seven Florida counties in the system. 3. At UF, Milton, FL, tree-crop interactions were quantified in alley cropping systems of loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and pecan, with cotton as the understory species. 4. In silvopastoral research at Ona, Florida, tree survival, wood yields, commercial value of 12 year-old south-Florida slash pine and forage yield were determined, and factors affecting establishment of Leucaena leucocephala, a tropical tree legume, were investigated. Data suggest absence of negative, or beneficial, impact of the trees on the grass at this time, confirming the possibility of combining pine and forage yields in silvopasture; leucaena trials indicate better performance for variety K636 and advantages when seedlings (vs. seeds) are planted and dolomite is added to soil. 5. At FAMU, Quincy, FL, silvopasture forage trials were established and are now in their second year. 6. Possible use of agroforestry techniques (such as organic and conventional till alley-cropping) for improving the economic viability of organic farming was investigated at the U. of Georgia, Athens. 7. Two studies continue to investigate the environmental benefits of agroforestry: (i) soil runoff research at Auburn Univ., AL; and (ii) nutrient monitoring study (based at UF, Gainesville) in the pecan/cotton intercropping plots in Milton, FL. 8. At the U. of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix, on-farm and on-station trials investigate intercropping of Morinda citrifolia and Moringa oleifera with hot pepper and medicinal and culinary herbs. The extension component of the project made substantial progress on developing and testing in-service training modules for extension agents. Four agroforestry fact sheets were published and an in-service training guide was drafted and tested with 15 extension professionals. CSTAF published a white paper, The Practice and Potential of Agroforestry in the Southeastern United States, and two issues of CSTAF newsletter. Other CSTAF activities supported by funds from other sources included organizing a two-day FAO study tour for eight foresters from India, completing a three-month field season on the USDA-TSTAR agroforestry research project in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and receiving a USDA Higher Education Challenge grant to develop an agroforestry distance education course. CSTAF is actively involved in organizing the 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, to be held in Orlando, Florida in 2004.

Impacts
Scientifically rigorous information on the economic, productive, and environmental benefits of agroforestry systems in southeastern United States are now becoming available and being disseminated to land users. Land-use decisions based on such information will help stabilize farm incomes and improve environmental conditions

Publications

  • Allen S. 2003. Nitrogen dynamics in a pecan-cotton alley cropping system in southern USA. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Florida.
  • Becker B., Workman S. 2003. Farming the forests of Florida. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Circular 1434. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL. 6 p.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S., Mallett W.J. 2003. Projected yields of south Florida slash pine silvopasture in south central Florida. Soil Crops Sci. Soc. Fla. Proc. 62: 47-50.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S., Martin F.G. 2003. Summer forage yield of a slash pine-bahiagrass silvopasture in south-central Florida. Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting, February 2-4, 2003, Mobile, AL, p14.
  • Ezenwa I.V., Kalmbacher R.S. 2003. Overcoming main constraints of leucaena establishment on Spodosols in South Florida. Annual Meeting Abstracts, CD-ROM. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.
  • Ellis E.A., Nair P.K.R., Jeswani S.D. 2003. The Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System (SEADSS): A web-based application for agroforestry planning and tree selection. In Vacik H., Lexer M.J., Rauscher M.H., Reynolds K.M., Brooks R.T., 2003 [eds.]. Decision Support for Multiple Purpose Forestry. A Transdisciplinary Conference on the Development and Application of Decision Support Tools for Forest Management. 23 - 25 April 2003, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, CD-Rom Proceedings.
  • Lee K.H., Jose S. 2003. Soil respiration, fine root production and microbial biomass in cottonwood and loblolly pine plantations along a soil nitrogen gradient. Forest Ecology and Management 185:263-273 Lee K.H., Jose S. 2003. Soil respiration and microbial biomass in a pecan-cotton alley cropping system in southern USA. Agroforestry Systems 58:45-54.
  • Nair P.K R., Nair V.D. 2003. Carbon Storage in North American Agroforestry Systems. Chapter 20. pp 333-346. In Kimble, J.M, L. Heath, L, R. Birdsey and, L. Lal (eds) The Potential of U.S. Forest Lands to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, Florida.
  • Nair V.D., Graetz D.A., Dooley D. O. 2003. Phosphorus release characteristics of manure and manure-impacted soils. J. Food, Agriculture and Environment 1:217-223.
  • Nowak J., Blount A., Workman S. 2003. Integrated timber, forage and livestock production, benefits of silvopasture. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Circular 1430. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL. 7 p.
  • Palada M.C., Becker B.N., Mitchell J.M., O' Keefe D.A.. 2003. Conserving indigenous medicinal plants in agroforestry systems. Virgin Islands Agricultural and Food Fair Bulletin 32:25-27.
  • Workman S.W., Allen S.C. 2003. The Practice and Potential of Agroforestry in the Southeastern United States. UF/IFAS/SFRC, Center for Subtropical Agroforestry, University of Florida, Gainesville http://cstaf.ifas.ufl.edu/whitepaper.htm.
  • Workman S.W., Bannister M.E., Nair P.K.R. 2003. Agroforestry potential in the southeastern United States: Perceptions of landowners and extension professionals. Agroforestry Syst. 59(1): 73-83.
  • Workman S.W., Nair P.K.R. 2002. Agroforestry and Farm Diversification in the Southeastern United States. Proc. 17th Symposium of the International Farming Systems Association, Concurrent Session III - Theme 1: Small Farm Diversification & Competitiveness. November 2002. Lake Buena Vista, FL. 8 p.


Progress 10/01/01 to 10/01/02

Outputs
All the eight research activities that formed the core of the USDA-CSREES-IFAFS-approved proposal leading to the establishment of CSTAF (Center for Subtropical Agroforestry) progressed satisfactorily. 1. At UF, Gainesville, economic studies focused on estimating landowner willingness to pay for benefits of silvopastoral systems, describing the relationship between silvopasture and hunting revenues, and developing a social accounting matrix. 2. Work on developing the Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System, a web-based tool that will assist in planning and tree/shrub selection, progressed well at UF, Gainesville. 3. At UF, Milton, FL, tree-crop interactions were quantified in alley cropping systems of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), and pecan (Carya illinoensis), with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) as the understory species; the study sites were visited by a group of 150 landowners, natural-resource professionals and extension educators during a field day. 4. In silvopastoral research at Ona, Florida, tree survival, wood yields, commercial value of 11 year-old south-Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and understory forage yield-response were determined, and factors affecting field establishment of Leucaena leucocephala, a tropical tree legume, were investigated. 5. At FAMU, Quincy, FL, logging and prescribed burning were completed for establishment of silvopastoral trial plots. 6. Possible use of agroforestry techniques (such as organic and conventional till alley-cropping) for improving the economic viability of organic farming was investigated at the U. of Georgia, Athens. 7. Two studies were initiated to investigate the environmental benefits of agroforestry: (i) soil runoff research at Auburn Univ., AL; and (ii) nutrient monitoring study (based at UF, Gainesville) in the pecan + cotton intercropping plots in Milton, FL. 8. At the U. of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix, on-farm and on-station trials were established, involving hedgerow intercropping of Morinda citrifolia and Moringa oleifera with hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) and medicinal and culinary herbs. In addition to these research projects, the extension component of the original proposal to USDA-CSREES made progress on the analysis of needs-assessment surveys of extension agents and landowners; preparation of materials such as slide sets, CD-ROMs, and newsletter articles; and establishing a network of agroforestry demonstration sites; all these could be used during in-service training programs for extension agents. Other CSTAF activities supported by funds from other sources included a three-month training program for seven forestry professionals from India, and a research project in Haiti, under which two Haitian students began their PhD program at UF; furthermore, CSTAF was awarded a USDA-TSTAR grant to do agroforestry research with small farmers in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Two issues of CSTAF newsletter were issued in hardcopy and posted on the web site during the period. CSTAF is also involved in organizing the 1st World Congress of Agroforestry, to be held in Orlando, Florida in 2004.

Impacts
Generation and dissemination of information about the economic, productive, and environmental benefits of agroforestry systems will enable landowners and resource professionals to make agroforestry-oriented land-use decisions that could stabilize farm incomes and improve environmental conditions. New CSTAF collaborations improve UF international linkages.

Publications

  • Allen S, Jose S, and Nair PKR. 2002. Nitrogen mineralization and ground water nitrate dynamics in a temperate alley cropping system. Annual meeting abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Demers C and Clausen T. 2002. Managing cattle on timberlands: Forage management. Univ. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Circular SS-FOR-20. 7 p.
  • Ellis E and Nair PKR. 2002. The Southeastern Agroforestry Decision Support System (SEADSS): An on-line application for tree and shrub selection and agroforestry decision making. Annual Meeting Abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Ezenwa I, Bannister M, Nowak J, and Kalmbacher R. 2002. History and potential of silvopasture in the southeastern U.S. Annual Meeting Abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Greene E. 2002. Nutrient addition and crop yield of an alley cropping system in the piedmont of Georgia. M.S. Thesis, University of Georgia.
  • Jordan C. 2002. Genetic engineering, the farm crisis, and world hunger. BioScience 52: 523-529.
  • Kalmbacher R, Ezenwa I, and Mallett B. 2002. Pine production from silvopasture in south Florida. The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal, September 2002, p. 64.
  • Lee K and Jose S. 2002. Soil respiration and microbial biomass in a pecan-cotton temperate alley cropping system. Annual meeting abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Montagnini F and Jordan C. 2002. Reciclaje de nutrients. Pp. 167-191 in M.R. Guariguata, G. Kattan eds. Ecologia y Conservacion de Bosques Lluviosos Neotropicales. Ediciones LUR, Cartago, Costa Rica. Nowak, J and Blount A. 2002. Silvopasture: more than cattle grazing in pine plantations. Forest Landowner 61(2): 10-13.
  • Wanvestraut R. 2002. Competition for water in a pecan (Carya illinoensis) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) alley cropping system in the southeastern United States. M.S. Thesis, University of Florida.
  • Wanvestraut R, Jose S, Nair PKR, and Brecke B. 2002. Competition for water in a pecan and cotton alley cropping system in the southeastern United States. Annual meeting abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Workman S, Bannister M, and Nair PKR. 2002. Current status of agroforestry in the southeastern United States. Annual meeting abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Workman S, Long A, Mohan S, and Monroe M. 2002. Agroforestry: Options for landowners. Univ. Florida Cooperative Extension Service Factsheet FOR 104. 4 p.


Progress 10/01/00 to 10/01/01

Outputs
Following the award of a four-year, $3.92 million, grant by USDA/CSREES/IFAFS, the Center for Subtropical Agroforestry (CSTAF) was established in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation as a University of Florida Type III Center in March. The Center has active collaborators representing different disciplines and institutions located in the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia and the US Virgin Islands, and a 12-member Advisory Council composed of resource professionals representing various state- and federal agencies and private land owners. Newly recruited staff consists of two full-time faculty-level professionals and four post-doctoral associates attached to different sub-projects. The Center's activities include primarily research and extension, and indirectly graduate education. Research is organized under eight projects in five institutions. These are: 1. Economics of agroforestry systems (UF, Gainesville), for developing a methodology for evaluating the economic and non-market benefits of agroforestry systems, especially silvopastoral systems in southern Florida; 2. Tree-crop interaction studies (UF, Milton) to quantify the extent of interactions in alley cropping systems of pecan, pine, cotton, and forage grasses; 3. Evaluating the profitability of silvopastoral systems of beef cattle production involving slash pine underplanted with bahia grass (UF, Ona); 4. Data management (UF, Gainesville), to continue the work on developing decision support systems, incorporating GIS, for tree selection in agroforestry systems; 5. Monitoring of environmental benefits of agroforestry systems in two areas: effect of alley cropping on soil-erosion, undertaken at Auburn University; and monitoring the impact of agroforestry in controlling groundwater pollution by farm chemicals, undertaken by UF, Gainesville; 6. An agrosilvopastoral system involving meat goats and swine (FAMU, Quincy, FL); 7.Viability of alley cropping (U. of GA, Athens) that studies the potential of alley cropping, wood chips, and swine effluent to improve the economics of organic farming; and 8. Tree-crop integration of high-value horticultural crops (Univ. of VI, St. Croix) with a local medicinal tree, Morinda sp. The extension component of the Center has launched a project to undertake an agroforestry survey: a mail survey was developed and mailed to natural resource professionals in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama and to landowners in Florida; analysis of the professional survey and planning of extension publications have begun. Additional research and training activities of CSTAF through external grants and contracts include on-farm agroforestry research in Haiti, and organizing a three-month training for seven forestry professionals from India. All these activities (except the three-month training) have three-to-four year durations and are in their first year of operation, so that significant results are not available to be reported.

Impacts
Generation and dissemination of information about the economic, productive, and environmental benefits of agroforestry systems will enable landowners and resource professionals to make agroforestry-oriented land-use decisions that could stabilize farm incomes and improve environmental conditions. New CSTAF collaborations improve UF international linkages.

Publications

  • Ramsey C, Jose S. 2001. Management challenges of temperate alley cropping systems: Lessons from a pecan (Carya illinoensis)- cotton (Gossypium sp.) alley cropping in the southern United States. Seventh Biennial Conference on Agroforestry in North America, August 13-15, Regina, Canada. Program and Abstracts, p. 21.
  • Workman S, Nair PKR, Bannister ME. 2001. Agroforestry in the southern United States: Status, potential, and priorities. Seventh Biennial Conference on Agroforestry in North America, August 13-15, Regina, Canada. Program and Abstracts, p. 39.
  • Allen SC, Jose S, Nair PKR. 2001. Groundwater nitrogen dynamics in a temperate alley cropping system with pecan (Carya illinoensis) and cotton (Gossypium sp.). Seventh Biennial Conference on Agroforestry in North America, August 13-15, Regina, Canada. Program and Abstracts, p. 19.
  • Bannister ME. 2001. Effects of household and plot characteristics on Haitian tree-cropping strategy. Annual Meeting Abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Castellanet, C. and C.F. Jordan. 2002. Participatory Action Research in Natural Resource Management. Taylor and Francis Publishers, London. In press.
  • Lee KH, Jose S. 2001. Soil respiration under different land management practices in Northwestern Florida. Seventh Biennial Conference on Agroforestry in North America, August 13-15, Regina, Canada. Program and Abstracts, p. 54.
  • Moseley, W.G. and C.F. Jordan 2001. Measuring agricultural sustainability: energy analysis of conventional till and no-till maize in the Georgia Piedmont. The Southeastern Geographer 41: 105-116.
  • Nair PKR. 2001. A new center for subtropical agroforestry. Seventh Biennial Conference on Agroforestry in North America, August 13-15, Regina, Canada. Program and Abstracts, p. 4.
  • Nair PKR and Bannister ME. 2001. Center for Subtropical Agroforestry: A new initiative for southeastern USA. Annual Meeting Abstracts, CD-ROM. Amer. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.
  • Nair PKR, Bannister ME, Workman S. 2001. The Center for Subtropical Agroforestry: A significant agroforestry initiative in the southeastern United States. Seventh Biennial Conference on Agroforestry in North America, August 13-15, Regina, Canada. Program and Abstracts, p. 52.