Agroforestry systems can play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change given their capacity to increase tree diversity and to store more carbon than conventional farming. This study aims at assessing carbon stocks and the use of shade trees in different coffee growing systems in the Northeast Peruvian Amazon. Carbon stocks in trees were estimated by field-based measurements and allometric equations. Carbon stocks in dead wood, litter and soil (upper 60 cm) were determined using field sampling and laboratory analysis. The diversity analysis drew on the Shannon–Weiner diversity index, and focus groups were used to obtain information about the local use of shade trees. The total carbon stock in the polyculture-shaded coffee system was 189 t C/ha, while the Inga-shaded and unshaded systems totalled 146 and 113 t C/ha, respectively. The soil compartment contributed the largest carbon stock in the coffee growing systems and contained 67, 82 and 96% of the total carbon stock in the polyculture-shaded, Inga-shaded and unshaded coffee systems, respectively. The Shannon–Weiner index and tree species richness values were highest for the polyculture-shaded coffee system, with a total of 18 tree species identified as important sources of fodder, food, wood, firewood and medicine. Therefore, coffee agroforestry systems play a significant role in carbon storage, while promoting conservation of useful trees in agricultural landscapes in the Peruvian Amazon.

Climbing cacti with edible fruits have been proposed as new dryland fruit crops because their high water-use efficiency reduces water requirement. One lineage of climbers in the cactus family, the Hylocereus group of Selenicereus, includes several species that produce edible fruits and is currently cultivated around the world. Fruits are known as pitahayas, pitayas or dragon fruit. Here, by means of ecological niche-based modelling and analytical hierarchical modelling, the optimal areas for cultivating the three main species of this group in Mesoamerica – Selenicereus costaricensis, Selenicereus ocamponis and Selenicereus undatus – are identified. Data on distribution, physiological requirement and host preferences are taken into account to carry out ecological modelling for current and future scenarios of climate and determine its impact on cultivation. Two MIROC climatic future models, one optimistic (ssp216) and a pessimistic (ssp585) were selected and 554 records from Mexico and Central America were gathered. For all three species, temperature and precipitation seasonality, and solar radiation were the most significant variables in the niche modelling. In addition, for S. undatus the most important hosts, three species of mesquite legume trees were significant to forecast suitable areas for planting. Large areas on the Pacific side from Sinaloa to Costa Rica were predicted as favourable for cultivating the studied three species. Future scenarios of climate change predicted increase of suitable areas for two species and in particular for S. undatus the increment was the largest. Therefore, dragon fruits are corroborated as promising fruits in view of climate change.

Longan is an economically important sub-tropical fruit tree native to southern China and southeast Asia. Its production has been affected significantly by climate change, but the underlying reasons remain unclear. Herein, the potential growing areas of longan were simulated by the Maxent model under current and future conditions. The results showed excellent prediction performance, with an area under curve of >0.9 for model training and validation. The key environmental variables identified were mean temperature of the coldest quarter, minimum temperature of the coldest month, annual mean temperature and mean temperature of the driest quarter. The optimum suitable areas of longan were found to be concentrated mainly in south-western, southern and eastern China, with a slight increase in optimum suitable areas under two different emission scenarios of three global climatic models. However, its future potential growing areas were predicted to differ among provinces or cities. Suitable growing areas in Sichuan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Chongqing will first increase and then remain approximately unchanged between the 2050s and 2070s; those in Yunnan, Guangdong and Hainan will remain approximately unchanged from the present to the 2070s; those in Fujian and Guizhou will fluctuate slightly from the present to the 2050s and then increase to the 2070s; those in Taiwan will first decrease and then increase. In summary, the major future production areas of longan will be Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi provinces, followed by Chongqing, Yunnan, Fujian and Taiwan. Thus, this study serves as a useful guide for the management of longan.

A set of durum wheat genotypes from New South Wales (NSW, Durum Breeding Australia (DBA) Northern Program), South Australia (SA, DBA Southern Program and Australian Grain Technology), ICARDA and CIMMYT (International Centre for Research in Dryland Agriculture and International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement) was evaluated over 3 years (2012–2014) in field trials containing rainfed and watered blocks in Narrabri, NSW, Australia. Data on yield and other agronomic traits were analysed using a multi-environment trial approach that accommodated the factorial treatment structure (genotype by irrigation regime) within individual trials. Considerable variation was observed in the durum germplasm for productivity and grain quality traits. DBA Bindaroi (NSW) and 101042 (ICARDA) were the top yielders in watered and rainfed blocks, respectively. The yield was positively and strongly related to both harvest index and grains/m2, but grains/m2 was negatively related to thousand grain weight (TGW) and positively related to screenings. TGW and screenings were strongly negatively related and TGW and grains/m2 showed a weak positive relationship. Promising genotypes were identified, with superior traits to both the bread wheat check, EGA Gregory and the durum check, Caparoi. Overall, lines from SA and ICARDA were superior for yield but those from NSW were superior for quality parameters including TGW and screenings. These results suggested the possibility of developing high yielding high-quality durum varieties by crossing NSW lines with SA, CIMMYT and ICARDA lines through simultaneous selection for yield, TGW and low screenings. The results also suggested that productivity in rainfed conditions was positively related to productivity under watering, but further research is required to establish this.

Heat stress during the reproductive and grain-filling stages leads to severe yield losses in rice, especially in irrigated areas during the dry season in Thailand. Thus, breeding for heat-tolerant rice is one of the strategies for developing rice crops adapted to the effects of high temperature in major growing regions. M9962, a fast neutron-induced mutant, was identified as a heat-tolerant line that was then used as a donor parent and crossed with the Phisanulok 2 (PSL2) cultivar (the recurrent parent) in a backcross breeding programme. Heat tolerance scoring under controlled greenhouse and field conditions was based on the percentage of spikelet fertility. Yield trials for the BC2F7 and BC3F6 lines were subsequently conducted under field conditions at three locations and under controlled greenhouse conditions during the dry season of 2019 (DS2019). In the early generation, 210 plants of the BC1F1 population and 440 plants of BC2F1 population were evaluated for their heat tolerance, and the spikelet fertility distribution within the BC1F1, BC2F1 and BC3F1 populations showed a skewed-right pattern. In addition, most rice plants in every generation were heat sensitive. Finally, compared with PSL2, the four-candidate heat-tolerant lines exhibited a high percentage of spikelet fertility and high yield. In addition, the one candidate line, BC2F7-6-5-4-1-1-21 was most similar to PSL2 in terms of genetic background, plant type and grain quality. Thus, backcross breeding programmes via the spikelet fertility can be used as an indirect trait to select for heat tolerance.

Data of 2780 Markhoz kids originated from 1216 dams and 211 sires during 1993–2016 in Markhoz Goat Breeding Station, located in Sanandaj, Iran, were used. Traits investigated were body weights at birth, weaning, six-month age [six months weight (6MW)], nine-month age and yearling age [yearling weight (YW)]. Two considered multivariate models including standard multivariate model (SMM) and fully recursive multivariate model (FRM) were compared using deviance information criterion (DIC) and predictive ability measures including mean square of error (MSE) and Pearson's correlation coefficient between the observed and predicted values $(r(y,\hat{y}))$ of records. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between posterior means of direct genetic effects of the studied traits of kids under SMM and FRM were also calculated across all, 50, 10 and 1% top-ranked animals. In general, FRM performed better than SMM in terms of lower DIC and MSE and also higher $r\lpar y\comma \;\hat{y}\rpar$. For all traits, the lowest MSE and the highest $r\lpar y\comma \;\hat{y}\rpar$ were obtained under FRM. All structural coefficients estimated under FRM were statistically significant except for that of 6MW on YW. Comparisons of Spearman's rank correlations between posterior means of direct genetic effects of kids for growth traits under SMM and FRM revealed that taking the causal relationships among the studied growth traits of Markhoz goat into account may cause considerable re-ranking for the animals in terms of estimated breeding values, especially for the top-ranked animals. It may be concluded that FRM had more plausibility over SMM for genetic evaluation of the studied growth traits in Markhoz goat.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether social rank (SR) and stability in the order of entrance to the milking parlour are associated with production traits. The study was conducted on a dairy farm where cows (n = 215) were managed in three groups according to lactation stage (group 1: 78 cows, 0–100 days in milk (DIM); group 2: 65 cows, 101–200 DIM and group 3: 72 cows, >200 DIM). SR was calculated from observations made from agonistic behaviour performed at the water troughs and feed bunks of each pen (n = 3). The animals were classified into three levels of dominance based on at least five clear interactions, resulting in: 61 dominant, 75 intermediate and 69 subordinate cows based on SR. Stability in the order of entry was estimated as the standard deviation of the entry position. SR was weakly correlated with milk yield, urea and protein content in milk. The results showed that stable cows had higher milk production and entered the milking parlour after the non-stable animals. Stability in the order of entry to the milking parlour was not affected by SR. Overall, the use of milking facilities appears to be associated with production traits rather than SR.

Increasing herd size and fragmented or non-uniform land challenge pasture-based milk production systems. Therefore, part-time grazing combined with indoor feeding of fresh herbage (‘cut-and-carry’) allows to maintain the advantages of fresh-herbage-based diets. However, consequences for environmental nitrogen losses, animal behaviour and ruminal metabolism are decisive for its implementation. Animal performance, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), reticulo-ruminal pH and feeding/locomotive behaviour were compared in six cows subjected either to full-time grazing (system F) or to part-time grazing system with indoor feeding of fresh herbage and concentrate (system P). Biweekly samplings were performed on six lactating cows per treatment in spring, summer and autumn. Nitrogen (N) balance was calculated from estimated N intake and N output via faeces, urine and milk. Reticulo-ruminal pH was recorded using a wireless data recorder. Eating and locomotive behaviour were measured with noseband sensors and pedometers. In spring, but not later, herbage intake per unit of body weight was higher for system F compared to system P cows. Eating time was shorter by 15% in P compared to F cows. Across systems, NUE declined from spring to summer/autumn from about 300 to 200 g milk protein N/kg N intake. Reticulo-ruminal pH was more variable under part-time grazing conditions, with a pronounced decrease subsequent to offering the herbage indoors. The part-time grazing system resulted in similar or higher NUE than full-time grazing. Additional studies with larger numbers of experimental units are required to be able to develop comprehensive recommendations for the improvement of the two grazing systems.