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Open growth of oak species in a corn/soybean alley cropping agroforestry for watershed protection

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Abstract

Trees are intentionally integrated in agroforestry for numerous ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, environmental, production, and economics. Open tree growth is different from that in forests and data is limited, thus restricting integration of trees in agroforestry for optimum benefits. Growth of pin oak (Quercus palustris Muenchh.), swamp white oak (Q. bicolor Willd.), and bur oak (Q. macrocarpa Michx.) were evaluated for 24 years in an alley cropping agroforestry watershed in Northern Missouri, USA. Containerized oak seedlings were planted at 3-m spacing in the center of 4.5-m wide contour grass-legume strips established at 22.8–36.5 m intervals on a 4.44-ha watershed with a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation. Tree height and diameter (dbh and 10-cm) were recorded. Among the three species pin oak had the greatest height, diameter at 10-cm, and dbh growth during the 24-year study. Pin oak trees showed 1.2-, 1.4-, and 1.2-times greater height, 10-cm diameter, and dbh than swamp white oak trees, the second-best species at the watershed. Biomass and carbon values of pin oak were 1.7 and 3.7 times in 2021 than swamp white oak and bur oak. Bur oak trees had the lowest height, 10-cm diameter, dbh, biomass, and carbon values among the three species. With the 3-species composition, tree biomass and carbon accumulation in a 24-year period were 22,613 and 10,854 kg ha−1. Trees had > 20% tapering in the main stem. Among the three species swamp white oak had 21% tapering while pin and bur oak both had 25% tapering. All three species appear to be suitable for watershed protection while pin oak showed promising growth and greater accumulation of biomass and carbon. The study emphasizes development of agroforestry-specific tree growth models as open-grown trees differ from those in conventional forestry. This can help the selection of suitable species for enhanced ecosystem services.

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(Source: Missouri Mesonet/University of Missouri)

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry and the USDA-ARS Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, Agreement Number 58-6020-0-007 Agricultural Research Service.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Center for Agroforestry, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Ranjith P. Udawatta, Sidath S. Mendis, Miguel Salceda & Chamara Weerasekera

  2. Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    Lalith M. Rankoth

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  1. Ranjith P. Udawatta
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  3. Miguel Salceda
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RPU: Data collection, Wrote the manuscript, edited, prepared figures SSM: Data collection, statistical analysis, prepared figures MS: Data collection, reviewed the manuscript LR: Data collection, reviewed the manuscript CW: Data collection,reviewed the manuscript

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Correspondence to Ranjith P. Udawatta.

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Udawatta, R.P., Mendis, S.S., Salceda, M. et al. Open growth of oak species in a corn/soybean alley cropping agroforestry for watershed protection. Agroforest Syst 98, 653–663 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00937-w

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