I am interested in the productivity that we can expect from different plant resources used in prehistory:
- number of fruits per plants or calories/kg per hectare
- we are referring not only to wild and domesticated cereals, but also to roots, tubers, or different types of fruits (acorns, hazelnuts, etc... )
I would acknowledge any information regarding existing databases, research centers or publications from which I can gather all this information.
thanks!
There's a useful reference with productivity figures for acorns in dehesa systems (mostly Q ilex) at http://www.uco.es/zootecniaygestion/img/pictorex/13_13_07_cl_2.pdf
Also explore following web resources..
http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/
https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/international-agricultural-productivity/
For cold desert, India , U can consult my work in the book " Agroforestry Research Development"available in ResearchGate..
You are interested in pre-historic crop productivity.
Please see this site with some info of 'Prehistoric' crop productivity, especially the corn cultivation by Indians. They include additional references. You can find more info from those references.
Agriculture on the prehistoric Great Plains [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_on_the_prehistoric_Great_Plains]
"The average size of family plots of Indian farmers may have been about .6 acres (0.24 ha) with yields of 10-20 bushels (627 - 1,254 kg) of shelled maize per acre. This would have been sufficient, after accounting for post-harvest losses to pests and rotting and the retention of seed corn, to provide about 20 percent of the caloric needs of an Indian family of five persons. Some families may have cultivated up to 3.4 acres (1.4 ha) which would have produced sufficient maize for family consumption plus a tradeable surplus.[15] Higher yields of up to 40 bushels (2,508 kg.) per acre have been reported on newly cleared land. Land declined in fertility in subsequent crop years.[16]"
Two books, covering the agricultural history in detail, one in Dutch and one in French; English translations may exist:
"De agrarische geschiedenis van West-Europa 500 - 1850. Bernard Slicher van Bath, 1960. Het Spectrum, Utrecht/Antwerpen.
Histoire des agricultures du monde. Du néolitique à la crise contemporaine. M. Mazoyer & L. Roudart, 1997. Editions du Seuil, Paris.
If you are only looking for some figures, tell me which and I will find them for you.
Dear Debora Zurro
You may find my research paper useful.
Linkages between Agriculture and Forest: Case Study from three tribal villages located in a Biosphere Reserve of India
available on RG
Dear Debora,
Could you please specify what do you mean by "traditional agricultural context"? Is it pre- conservation agriculture? Other?
Regards
Dear Debora Zurro,
I would recommend the book Histoire des Agricultures du Monde : du néolitique à la crise contemporaine. Marcel Mazoyer & Laurence Roudart, 2002, Editions du Seuil.
There is very good information along the years.
Good luck.
Samuel Giordano
Hi, Debora...
There is a book that is launched every year: “Agrianual”. It seems that they also have an online version:< http://agrianual.com.br/>. A possible inconvenience is that all information are written in the Portuguese language, ok.
All the best for you,
Rafael
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