Agroforestry bridges the gap that often separates agriculture and forestry by building integrated systems that address both environmental and socio-economic objectives. Agroforestry can improve the resiliency of agricultural systems and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Existing research suggests that integrating trees on farms can prevent environmental degradation, improve agricultural productivity, increase carbon sequestration, generate cleaner water, and support healthy soil and healthy ecosystems while providing stable incomes and other benefits to human welfare. This research aims to provide for identifying and adopting the evidence demonstrating the effects of agroforestry practices and interventions on agricultural productivity, erosion control, ecosystem services, and human well-being. To study the effectiveness of agroforestry on agricultural productivity and erosion control in Rwanda, raw data was collected with the aid of a questionnaire and focus groups.  It was found that most farmers (95.6%) adopted and were fully engaged in agroforestry while all the officials made up to the mark. Woody species like Grevillea robusta, Cassia siamea, Albizia spp, Acacia albida, Persea americana, and Mangifera indica were found to be tree species the most integrated with crops in all the provinces of Rwanda. It was evident that farmers practice agroforestry to enhance the overall sustainability of farming systems by improving agricultural productivity and preventing erosion.

The woody fodder species Myrtus communis (L.) is commonly found in the forested areas of northeastern Algeria, thus helping to alleviate the goat husbandry shortage during the summer. This study aims to conserve the species and counteract its declining populations due to various biotic and abiotic factors. A specific objective of this study is to assess the correlation between seed size and germination vigor in M. communis, as well as emergence of seedlings. A sample of 15 M. communis individuals was selected, and 500 fruits were randomly collected in the vegetation of Jijel National Park (Jijel, northeast Algeria). One month after post-ripening, when fruit moisture content reached 25.2%, seeds were manually extracted from the fruits and categorized into three sizes (large, medium, and small). Then, 100 leaves, 100 intact fruits, and 100 seeds from each size category were measured and weighed. Various morphological characteristics were recorded, including leaf and fruit length and width, pulp weight, seed number, pulp-to-seed ratio, seed size, and moisture content. Seed germination and initial seedling growth were monitored weekly.  Seeds of M. communis ranged in weight from 0.03 to 0.18 grams. In comparison with medium (1.5%) and small (0%) seeds, large seeds showed significantly higher germination rates (93%) after three weeks of sowing. Moreover, seedlings originating from large seeds grew vigorously, reaching a length of 10.9 cm. According to our findings, seed size in M. communis can affect seed germination and high-quality seedling establishment.

Beneficial microbes are very essential for establishing tree plantations, particularly in wastelands or abandoned lands that make them suitable for cultivation. To establish a plantation in uncultivated farmland Gmelina arborea Roxb. tree seedlings were previously inoculated with the beneficial microbes (Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi - Gigaspora albida, Glomus aggregatum), plant growth promoting rhizo bacteria (PGPRs) - Azospirllum brasilense, Bacillus megaterium) in single and combinations. The effect of these beneficial microbes were analysed and it was found that the seedlings inoculated with AM fungi + PGPRs1+ PGPRs2 have improved in growth and biomass (shoot length: 85.3 cm plant-1; root length: 40.2 cm plant-1; number of leaves: 42.3 plant-1; stem girth: 9.5 mm plant-1; shoot dry weight: 8.89 g plant-1; root dry weight: 1.81 g plant-1) than the control and individual microbe inocuations. The tissue nutrients (N: 9.1 mg g-1; P: 9.5 mg g-1; K: 6.1 mg g-1) found higher particularly in AM fungi + PGPRs inoculated seedlings. Thus, improved seedlings were transplanted in an uncultivated farmland and monitored for growth and survival. The seedlings planted in the uncultivated farmland showed significant growth improvement. The single (AM fungi, PGPRs1, PGPRs2) and dual (AM fungi + PGPRs1/PGPRs2) inoculated seedlings of G. arborea showed 75 to 87% survival whereas the combined treatment (AM fungi + PGPRs1 + PGPRs2) showed 96% survival in farmland. These results confirmed that these beneficial microbes significantly contributed to the establishment of G. arborea seedlings in the uncultivated farmland through the transfer of nutrients.

Oak forests are among the most ecologically and economically significant in Europe. Due to the consequences of climate change on the environment, successful restoration of these ecosystems has been reduced in recent times. In order to increase the regeneration of oak forests, the analysis of quality parameters of one hundred and twenty pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) seedlings of ten different half-sib families have been carried out in the nursery of the Institute of Forestry in Belgrade (Serbia). This study showed the influence of origin (mother trees) on the morphological characteristics of pedunculate oak seedlings. A high degree of variability has been determined for root collar diameter, height, weight of aboveground part, root weight, Roller’s sturdiness coefficient and seedlings quality index. The largest variability has been determined for the height of seedlings where a large number of transitional half-sib families is noticed between the largest and the smallest values. A small number of half-sib families (33.33%) showed high quality of seedlings, based on the cluster analysis of quality parameters. There was a high degree of correlation between root weight and aboveground part weight, giving the potential for the selection of quality reproductive material with a properly formed habitus. There was a high degree of correlation between root weight and aboveground part weight, which suggests the potential for selecting quality reproductive material with a properly formed habitus. This study facilitates the selection of suitable reproductive material sources for regenerating pedunculate oak forests within this particular region of distribution.

Bean trefoil (Anagyris foetida L.), the only species within the Anagyris genus (L.) of the Fabaceae family in Algeria, demonstrates considerable promise for reforestation actions in arid and semi-arid areas throughout the Mediterranean basin. Nevertheless, a prominent obstacle impeding the successful establishment of the species is the hardness of its seeds, resulting in reduced germination rates and inconsistent seedling emergence. The objective of this research is to improve seed germination and seedling development in A. foetida. A total of 750 pods were randomly collected from a population including 13 individuals. From this sample, 100 intact pods and 100 seeds were chosen for measurement and weight assessment. Three different scarification techniques were utilized as pretreatments: chemical scarification, involving varying durations of immersion in 98% concentrated sulphuric acid; thermal scarification, involving 24 hours of exposure to a water bath set at 35°C; and mechanical scarification, achieved through the use of abrasive paper. Each treatment comprised four replicates of 50 seeds, while untreated seeds were utilized as controls. Germination and initial seedling development were assessed after 30 days of cultivation. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (p<0.001) among pretreatments concerning germination and seedling emergence. The highest germination percentages were observed following 120 minutes and 150 minutes of sulphuric acid soaking, with 86% and 91.5% of germination, respectively. The chemical pretreatments demonstrated correlations with shoot and root growth, as well as collar diameter. In contrast, the control group exhibited notably low germination (5.5%), while mechanical scarification resulted in a 55% germination rate. Seedling survival rates ranged from 93.7% to 99.4%. The seeds of A. foetida predominantly exhibit physical dormancy attributed to their hard and impermeable seed coat. These findings could be valuable for the generative reproduction of the species, especially for producing plants for afforestation/reforestation programs.