Agroforestry Systems and Their Contribution to Supplying Forest Products to Communities in the Chure Range, Central Nepal

Agroforestry (AF), an integration of agricultural and/or pastureland and trees, is a powerful tool for the maximization of profit from a small unit of land; however, it has been less well explored and recognized by existing policies. AF could be the best approach to conserving the fragile soils of Chure and to supplying subsistence needs to the local people. This study endeavored to understand how the adoption of various AF practices contributed to people’s livelihoods in the Bakaiya rural municipality of Makawanpur District. To achieve this, 5 focus group discussions, 10 key informant interviews and 100 household surveys were conducted. These were analyzed using various statistical analysis tools: Kruskal–Wallis test, Games–Howell post hoc comparison test and Wilcoxon test. Thematic analysis was employed to understand the status and growth process of AF in the study area. Of three different AF systems used in the area, agri-silviculture was found to be the dominant form. Local people derived forest products, especially fuelwood, fodder and leaf litter from AF, where agri-silvi-pasture was most common. The three AF systems studied here were in turn compared with community forestry (CF), which is a participatory forest management system overseen by the community. People derived almost 75% of fuelwood from CF, whereas in the case of fodder and leaf litter, contributions from CF and AF were almost equal. Despite the potentiality of AF in fulfilling the demands of local people, promotional and development activities were lacking. This study recommends a strong collaboration of local people and concerned stakeholders for the promotion and technical facilitation of AF systems

Data for: Functional traits shape tree species distribution in the Himalayas: Tree traits data Himalayas Nepal

This data is the result of research entitled "Functional traits shape tree species distribution in the Himalayas". The research was carried out along a species-rich steep elevational gradient along the southern slopes of the Himalayas in central Nepal. To understand how traits shape the distribution of plant species along the elevational gradient, we selected 31 common tree species that partitioned the elevational gradient. To adequately describe species’ trait values and account for elevational trait variation, we sampled for each species 6 trees; three trees from the lower limits of their elevational distribution ranges and three trees from the upper limits. To assure that the traits are fully expressed, we sampled healthy-looking trees with sun-exposed crowns (crown illumination index ≥2.5, Clark and Clark, 1992). To reduce ontogenetic variation, we sampled adult trees with a stem diameter at breast height (DBH) between 10 and 30 cm. We selected 39 traits that are important for resource acquisition, use and conservation and play a key role in defence, metabolism, or adaptation to harsh environmental conditions (e.g. freezing, drought, and low nutrients availability). Traits were measured following standardized protocols (Pérez-Harguindeguy et al., 2013; Scholz et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2016). We analysed how traits cluster into separate functions using a cluster analysis, and how traits and clusters associate into distinct plant strategies using a Principal Component Analysis. We found that multiple trade-offs in plant size, hydraulics, and light competitiveness shape species distribution along the elevational gradient. Along this extreme environmental gradient, stem and branch traits that integrate multiple plant organs and functions are better predictors of species’ elevational distributions than leaf traits

Evaluation of micro-nutrient rich potato genotypes in temperate conditions of Nepal.

A collaborative study was undertaken on eighteen micro-nutrient rich potato genotypes to evaluate their yield performance at Agriculture Research Station (ARS, Horticulture Farm) Rajikot as an on-station and at farmers’ field of Patmara and Talium as on-farm in Jumla District of Nepal during 2013-2014. Mean marketable tuber weight/plot over on-station and on-farm trials in both the years was highest (9.2 kg) in clone CIP 395112.32 and total tuber number/plant was highest in Jumla Local (10.0) and Kufri Jyoti (9.0). The average marketable yield of on-station and on-farm experiments of two years recorded the highest in clone CIP 393073.179 (22.6 t/ha) and Kufri Jyoti (22.1 t/ha). CIP 395112.32 and CIP 394611.112 produced the average highest yield (21.9 and 20.4 t/ha, respectively). Participatory evaluation of organoleptic traits exhibited that tubers of CIP 393073.179, CIP 395112.32 and CIP 394611.112 had acceptable quality for appearance, taste and texture. These potato clones can be recommended to farmers for commercial production to solve the malnutrition and food insecurity problems

Yield evaluation of nutrient-rich potato clones in high hill of Nepal.

A study was conducted to evaluate the yield of nutrient-rich potato clones in high-hill districts: Dolakha and Jumla of Nepal during the years 2013 and 2014, respectively. Fourteen potato clones were tested as on-station and on-farm experiments at both districts, and those fourteen clones were compared to 'Lady Rosita' and 'Jumli Local' respectively as the check varieties in the first year experiment, 2013. Eight promising clones were selected from the first year experiment, and were evaluated and compared with same local varieties in the consecutive year, 2014. Two clones namely; CIP 395112.32 (19.3 tha) and CIP 393073.179 (17.8 tha) exhibited superior marketable tuber yield than that of 'Lady Rosita'(14.2 tha) in Dolakha and five CIP clones namely; 395112.32 (25.5 tha), 393073.179 (22.5 tha-1), 394611.112 (20.9 tha-1), 390478.9 (19.9 tha) and 395017.229 (17.0 tha) showed higher marketable tuber yield than 'Jumli Local'(14.5 tha). Based on two years' phenotypic and tuber yield result, clones CIP 395112.32 and CIP 393073.179 are recommended to potato growers at high hills of Nepal for commercial cultivation