Plant of the Day: turmeric

Curcuma domestica
native to south Asia
rhizome is dried and powdered
curry powder ingredient
Ayurvedic medicine
currently under study for anti-cancer and
anti-inflammatory properties
patent dispute

http://www.motherherbs.com/curcuma-longa.html
http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week421.shtml
http://zesterdaily.com/health/564-tumeric-vs-cancer
 Traditional agriculture
All farming systems attempt to direct for increase flow of
energy and materials into the production of useful
products. Control of water and energy.
Returns for resource management greatest when
relieving the most restrictive situations: arid zones may
be completely useless without irrigation, drainage or
terracing can reclaim unusable wet soils or steep slopes,
but the labor investments may not be worthwhile in less
extreme situations.
Returns from traditional agriculture cannot be measured
only by productivity: not only quantity but also variety,
quality (locally defined), risk reduction, prestige.
 Traditional agriculture
All farming systems attempt to direct for increase flow of
energy and materials into the production of useful
products. Control of water and energy.
Returns for resource management greatest when
relieving the most restrictive situations: arid zones may
be completely useless without irrigation, drainage or
terracing can reclaim unusable wet soils or steep slopes,
but the labor investments may not be worthwhile in less
extreme situations.
Returns from traditional agriculture cannot be measured
only by productivity: not only quantity but also variety,
quality (locally defined), risk reduction, prestige.
 Traditional agriculture
All farming systems attempt to direct for increase flow of
energy and materials into the production of useful
products. Control of water and energy.
Returns for resource management greatest when
relieving the most restrictive situations: arid zones may
be completely useless without irrigation, drainage or
terracing can reclaim unusable wet soils or steep slopes,
but the labor investments may not be worthwhile in less
extreme situations.
Returns from traditional agriculture cannot be measured
only by productivity: not only quantity but also variety,
quality (locally defined), risk reduction, prestige.
 Traditional agriculture
All farming systems attempt to direct for increase flow of
energy and materials into the production of useful
products. Control of water and energy.
Returns for resource management greatest when
relieving the most restrictive situations: arid zones may
be completely useless without irrigation, drainage or
terracing can reclaim unusable wet soils or steep slopes,
but the labor investments may not be worthwhile in less
extreme situations.
Returns from traditional agriculture cannot be measured
only by productivity: not only quantity but also variety,
quality (locally defined), risk reduction, prestige.
 Features of traditional
agriculture
polyculture

energy efficiency
 Polyculture
Multiple cropping intensification of cropping in time and
space dimensions. Growing 2 or more crops on the
same field in a year.
polyculture = multiple cropping systems
promote diversity of diet and income source,
stability of production, minimization of risk,
reduced insect and disease incidence, efficient
use of labor, intensification of production with
limited resources and maximization of return
under low levels of technology
Altieri, M. A. 1983. Agroecology -- The Scientific Basis of
Alternative Agriculture. Division of Biological Control,
University of California, Berkeley , CA. 162 pp.
spatial and chronological types
 Kinds of polyculture (multiple
cropping)
Multiple cropping intensification of cropping in time and
space dimensions. Growing 2 or more crops on the
same field in a year.
Sequential cropping 2 or more crops sequentially in
same field in same year (double, triple, quadruple)
Intercropping simultaneously on same field per year
(time and space).
Mixed intercropping (no distinct row arrangement)
Row intercropping at least one of the crops in rows
Strip intercropping strips wide enough for independent
cultivation but narrow enough for crops to interact agronomically
Relay intercropping simultaneously during part of each ones
life cycle. Second crop planted after first one has reached
reproductive stage but before it is ready for harvest.

Francis 1989. Biological efficiencies in multiple cropping systems. Adv. Agron. 42:1-35.
 Advantages of polyculture
utilization of resources (light, water, nutrients)
fixed N2 from legumes available to grains, complementary
proteins
reduce diseases and pests -- non-host plants, natural
enemies
shading, soil cover reduces weeds and loss of soil
insurance against crop failure
scheduling: spread out labor costs and marketable produce
might have increased overall yield
land equivalent ratio (LER = Px/Kx + Py/Ky)
polyculture overyields monoculture when LER >1
de Wit (1960) replacement series diagrams
 Replacement series diagrams

Fig. 2. Replacement series diagrams illustrating mean ( 1 SE, SE shown if 0.05) relative yield and relative yield total as a
function of species proportions. The diagonal dashed lines are the expected relative yields when plants of a species grow
equally well in mixture and in monoculture. F.a. = Festuca arundinacea, S.a. = Solidago altissima, S.s. = S. shortii
Walck, et al. 1999. Relative competitive abilities and growth characteristics of a narrowly endemic and a
geographically widespread Solidago species (Asteraceae). American Journal of Botany 86:820-828
 http://www.agroforestry.net/events/afwksp2006/pres/Leakey_Ag
roecology%20and%20Sustainability.pdf
 http://www.agroforestry.net/events/afwksp2006/pres/Leakey_Agr
oecology%20and%20Sustainability.pdf
 Three Sisters as a Knowledge System

Study of a traditional polyculture of

indigenous North American agricultural
systems:
Land Equivalent Ratios
Nutritional contents
Agronomic aspects of mound plantings

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant

 Iroquois
Haudenosaunee
Six Nation
League (or
Confederacy)
Agricultural
practices studied
by
Jane Mt. Pleasant
(Tuscarora
descendent)

Map of areas occupied by 5 nations prior to European

contact (from Wikipedia, in Pubic Domain) http://hort.cals.cornell.edu/people/jane-mt-pleasant
Comparing Three Sisters and
Crop Monocultures: LER
TC 1993
1. Corn 0.83
2. Bean 0.12
3. Pumpkin 0.36
1.31
TC 1994
1. Corn 0.80
2. Bean 0.09
3. Pumpkin 0.15
1.05
CY 1997
1. Corn 1.09
2. Bean 0.05
3. Pumpkin 0.05
1.21

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant

 For some crops, food value
depends on when it is harvested
Crop When Food Name Calories (per Protein
Harvested 100 g) (g/100g)

Corn
(Zea mays) Immature Sweet corn 48 1.6
Hominy,
Mature Cornmeal 80 1.6
Bean
(Phaseolus Immature Green bean 20 1.2
vulgaris)
Mature Dry bean 84 5.3

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant

 Nutritional Value of the
Three Sisters (100 grams)
Food Water Calories Protein Fat
% kcal g g
Cornmeal 10 362 8 4
Dried 12 333 24 1
beans
Pumpkin 92 26 1 0
P. Seed 7 541 25 46

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant

 Nutritional Value
per 100 grams (continued)
Vitamin A Vitamin C Calcium Iron
Food
IU mg mg mg

Cornmeal 3 0 6 3.5

Dry Beans 0 4.5 83 6.7

Pumpkin 7,384 9 21 0.8

P. Seed 380 1.9 43 15

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant
 Mounds
Control plant population and spacing

Improve soil physical environment

Reduce soil erosion and compaction

Concentrate and recycle nutrients

Facilitate weed control

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant

Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant
Courtesy of Jane Mt. Pleasant
 Energy efficiency of traditional
and industrial agriculture
Energy of fuel, fertilizer, pesticide inputs
in mechanized industrialized agriculture
industrialized agriculture more efficient in terms
of human labor
traditional agriculture more efficient in terms of
overall returns on energy investment
Table 2-3 from:
Wilken, G. C. 1987. Good Farmers -- Traditional
Agricultural Resource Management in Mexico and
Central America. University of California Press,
Berkeley, CA.