Project Number: 1275-21220-007-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: May 25, 2005
End Date: Sep 30, 2008

Objective:
Develop agroforestry based best management practices, and cover crop technology to improve sustainable cacao and other alternate crop production and assess soil quality factor dynamics and pesticide use and break down in various management systems and evaluate the influence of abiotic stresses on the growth and nutrient use efficiency.

Approach:
Funded and non funded specific cooperative agreements have been established in government and NGO research institutes and universities in the US, Brazil and Peru to carry out glass house and field plot research. The goals of this project are to develop agro forestry based best management practices, evaluate the potential of cover crops and to assess the changes of soil quality factors that contribute to soil fertility and cacao productivity. Research will be carried in controlled growth conditions to evaluate the influence abiotic factors on growth and nutrient use efficiency of crops, and to evaluate the use and environmental quality impact of pesticides.