Summary
This narrative review synthesises literature on the influence of trees on crop yields in temperate alley cropping systems, addressing farmer concerns about yield decline and reduced profitability. The authors found that crop yield responses in ACS vary substantially by crop species, geographic location, weather conditions, and system design, with tree rows modifying multiple environmental parameters that can produce both positive and negative yield effects. The findings suggest that ACS design aspects are crucial determinants of crop productivity, indicating that careful system design can mitigate yield losses and support farmer adoption.
Regional applicability
The review focuses on temperate zone ACS and is directly applicable to United Kingdom conditions and farming systems. The synthesis of European and temperate agroforestry research provides evidence relevant to UK climate and agricultural contexts, supporting informed policy and extension guidance on ACS adoption in British farming.
Key measures
Crop yields in alley cropping systems; effects of tree presence on crop productivity; design parameters influencing yield outcomes
Outcomes reported
The review examined literature on effects of temperate alley cropping systems (ACS) on yields of various agricultural crops, evaluating whether and to what extent tree presence affects crop productivity. The analysis identified crop yield variability across species, locations, weather conditions and ACS designs, and found that tree rows modify multiple parameters that affect crop yields both positively and negatively.
Topic tags
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