Research & reports

Kyla D. Scherr, Mary A. Jamieson · Basic and Applied Ecology · United States (Michigan)

This three-year study investigated environmental factors influencing strawberry productivity for two cultivars at ten farms across a rural-urban gradient in Michigan, USA. It found no direct effect of urbanization on strawberry production or fruit pathogen and pest damage, but temperature significantly influenced crop productivity, with cooler rural and warmer urban temperatures limiting fruit number. While no relationship was found between urbanization and overall arthropod pest, predator, or pollinator abundances, Vespidae abundance was positively associated with urbanization, and Araneae abundance was negatively associated.

Matthew L. Richardson, Caitlin G. Arlotta · Scientia Horticulturae · United States (Washington, DC)

This study grew seven genotypes of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. in green roof, field row, and high tunnel systems in and near Washington, DC, to compare leaf and flower yield, nutritional differences, and insect pest susceptibility. Genotype PI 286316 produced abundant flowers, particularly in high tunnels, while leaf production was highest in field rows despite frequent Popillia japonica attacks. PI 273388, PI 275414, and green hibiscus yielded the most leaves, and genotypes showed nutrient differences regardless of the production system. The locally adapted green hibiscus performed well across systems, was least attacked by pests, and had higher nutrient levels, demonstrating H. sabdariffa's suitability for temperate urban systems.

Mariana Castañeda Díez, Rita de Cássia Martins Montezuma · Sociedade & natureza · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)

This paper addresses two problems in Rio de Janeiro: environmental issues from native restinga fragmentation due to urban development, and food shortages in low-income communities. It proposes edible landscaping for public spaces on Rio's west side to tackle these issues. The research involved theoretical framework analyses, geo-technological tools, and local visits for biophysical, urban, and architectural analyses to select suitable public spaces for the edible landscape proposal.

N. R. Madeira, Valdely Ferreira Kinupp, Lídio Coradin · · Brazil

This book chapter brings together reflections on neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in Brazil — plants popularly known today as "non-conventional edible plants" (PANC in Portuguese) — discussing the historical context of their use in this continental country with enormous biodiversity and cultural diversity. It highlights significant efforts undertaken to spread knowledge of and rescue and promote the use and conservation of NUS, and addresses related issues of agroecology, climate change, urban agriculture, local production, nutrition, gastronomy and food sovereignty.

James A. Allen, Andrew C. Mason · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States

This study visited 14 food forests in the American Southwest — all but two located in urban or peri-urban areas — and interviewed the founder or manager at 12 of them. The sites spanned a wide range of physical environments, community types, and ownership arrangements found in the region. Despite challenges such as a hot, dry climate and difficult soil conditions, the researchers found clear evidence that food forests can be successfully established in urban areas there; beyond food production, the forests provided benefits such as mitigating the urban heat island effect, increasing local biodiversity, and improving neighborhood aesthetics, though the study notes a need for additional research.

Zachary R. Schumm, Diane G. Alston, Lori R. Spears · Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington · United States

This study examined behavior of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB, Halyomorpha halys) in the agricultural landscape of Utah, United States, using pyramid and sticky panel trap captures and visual plant inspections. First discovered in Utah in 2012, with crop damage first reported in 2017, BMSB was sampled at nine orchard and community garden sites (each under 2.5 ha) growing peach, apple, pear, tart cherry, and diverse vegetables, testing whether Utah's high-elevation (>1,200 m) agricultural regions, arid climate, and small production fields surrounded by suburban development alter attraction patterns and monitoring effectiveness compared with other BMSB-invaded regions. Sampling covered four within-site locations (exterior, border, border-interior, center) across early, mid-, and late season. Results did not support a preference for field-site borders found in other U.S. regions and crop situations. Pyramid traps captured significantly more BMSB than sticky panel traps throughout the season and significantly more than visual inspections in mid- and late season; correlation between pyramid and sticky panel trap catches was weak in both 2018 and 2019. The study concludes pyramid traps, especially combined with visual inspection near pheromone-baited traps, are optimal for Utah's low-population, small-field (<2.5 ha) agricultural landscape, and that border-focused management strategies may be less effective there than in regions with larger fields and higher BMSB infestations.

Becky Griffin, S. K. Braman · Journal of Entomological Science · United States

In 2017 and 2018, gardeners at 36 locations across 21 Georgia counties, United States, volunteered for the Georgia Pollinator Census pilot project, counting insects in September and October on an aster species and one other participant-chosen plant species (28 plant taxa were selected in total) while also receiving training in insect identification. Bumble bees, honey bees and wasps were sighted more often in rural areas, while carpenter bees, flies and other insects were sighted more often in urban areas; participants also showed increased entomological interest and insect knowledge, and the pilot's results were used to refine criteria for a larger, state-wide census.

Carmen M. Ugarte, John R. Taylor · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Chicago)

This study evaluated chemical and biological soil-health indicators at 21 urban-to-periurban sites in Chicago (home gardens, community gardens, institutional farms, and private urban farms). It measured soil fertility, nematode trophic composition and food-web indices, and concentrations of lead, arsenic, and zinc; nematode communities differed by management scale and were likely influenced by soil organic matter and pH. Lead, arsenic, and zinc were below levels of concern, and soil fertility was significantly increased by management, particularly in community gardens and urban farms.

Savanah St. Clair, Maryam Saraylou, Daila Melendez, Norman Senn, Serina Reitz, Destini Kananipour, Angelo Alvarez · Applied and Environmental Soil Science · United States (Los Angeles)

This research characterized the arable soils at Los Angeles Pierce College to address health and food-security challenges, using soil physical/chemical measurements, microbial cultivation, and 16S rDNA sequencing on a citizen-science platform. It found plant-growth-promoting, antibiotic-producing and bioremediating bacteria—including abundant Streptomyces, Bacillus and Methylobacteria—across fields with distinct microclimates, and tests indicated that plant-based oils could control antibiotic-resistant bacteria more effectively than common antibiotics. The authors say the results can guide future trials and product development by identifying target soil microorganisms and the most viable fields.

Manuela Alves da Cunha, Lidice Almeida Arlego Paraguassú, José Geraldo de Aquino Assis, Arthur Benjamin de Paula Carvalho Silva, Ryzia de Cassia Vieira Cardoso · Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine · Brazil (Salvador)

A city-wide mapping of active food gardens in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, followed by site visits and interviews with gardeners. Only 18 active food gardens could be located in the whole municipality; 17 took part (8 communal, 9 private). Gardeners averaged 55.76 years old and were 52.9% male overall, but women made up 87.5% of communal-garden gardeners and had higher education levels. For 52.9% of respondents the garden was their main source of income; 82.4% ate the produce, 70.6% also sold it and 47.1% donated. Fifty-nine neglected and underutilized species (NUS) were recorded, with 76.5% of respondents reporting they eat 19 of them. The gardens supply affordable food and food diversity without government support — but the very small absolute number of active gardens in a city of this size is equally part of the finding.

Marina Portugal Torres, Pedro Henrique Goulart Pinheiro, Daniela Barroso Siste · · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

This study investigated a homeopathic treatment for a high infestation of Orthezia cochineal on Golden Shrimp plants in the Botanical Garden of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from November 2018 to February 2019. Orthezia nosode at 12CH potency was applied weekly. Observations showed an improvement in plant health, evidenced by new vigorous shoots, and a significant reduction in cochineal attacks.

Karina Leal de Oliveira · · Brazil

This study evaluated terrestrial mollusc diversity and associated nematodes in two horticulture areas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Manguinhos and Jacarepagua). Two collections, in spring and summer, sampled four points in each area. A total of 760 specimens were collected, identifying 16 species across 10 families, with significantly more live specimens collected in summer (363) than in spring (159) (p = 0.0011).

Ana Rosa Domingues dos Santos, Nádia Lúcia Almeida Nunes, Alessandra Santos dos Santos, Camila Neves Soares Oliveira, Lídio Coradin, Daniela Moura de Oliveira, Neio Campos · · Brazil

This paper described the integration of food biodiversity into school curricula through school gardens and gastronomy activities in Brazil. School gardens were utilized as rich pedagogical tools in various classes, including arts, math, and languages, beyond the initially expected biology and geography. The gastronomy area focused on cultural and regional food habits and the technical and sensorial features of food, also serving as a pedagogical tool in classes from history and sociology to math and geography.

Stacy M. Philpott, Azucena Lucatero, Peter Bichier, Monika Egerer, Shalene Jha, Brenda B. Lin, Heidi Liere · Ecological Applications · United States (California)

This study investigated natural-enemy-herbivore co-occurrence networks associated with Brassica oleracea in 24 urban vegetable gardens in the California, USA central coast region. Increased floral richness and B. oleracea abundance were associated with increased parasitoid and non-aphid herbivore abundance, and increased network vulnerability. Increased vegetation complexity suppressed parasitoid abundance but boosted network vulnerability. High agricultural land-use cover around urban gardens was associated with lower predator, parasitoid, and non-aphid herbivore abundance, lower natural-enemy:herbivore ratios, lower interaction richness, and higher trophic complementarity.

Layssa Kmiecik Layssa Kmiecik, André de Souza Lucca · Revista Gestão & Sustentabilidade Ambiental · Brazil (Curitiba)

This qualitative study, focused on the Cajuru Community Garden in Curitiba, Brazil, aimed to propose recommendations for projects promoting native Unconventional Food Plants (PANCs). Using bibliographic, documentary, field research, and surveys, it generated recommendations for communicating PANCs' qualities and for their sustainable cultivation and responsible consumption in urban community gardens.

J. M. Alomia-Lucero, Jorge Castro-Bedriñana, Doris Chirinos-Peinado · Advances in Science Technology and Engineering Systems Journal · Peru

This study designed and evaluated an agroecological system for a rooftop agricultural model in the high jungle of Peru, associating tomato plants (Rio Grande and Cherry varieties) with vegetable covers. The system demonstrated benefits for family food safety through pesticide-free tomatoes and created a plant barrier on roofs to reduce solar radiation. A new medium-sized tomato variety, suitable for the organic market, was also obtained through natural crossbreeding.

Heidi Liere, Monika Egerer, Carly Sanchez, Peter Bichier, Stacy M. Philpott · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (California)

This study surveyed 187 gardeners from 18 urban community gardens in California's central coast to investigate how socio-demographic factors affect pest reporting and management practices. Most gardeners reported pests, with ethnicity, time spent in gardens, and agricultural employment influencing reporting likelihood. The majority used curative, non-synthetic practices, but the likelihood of using curative practices varied by gardeners' ethnicity, time spent in gardens, and gender.

Mariella Camardelli Uzêda · Anais da Semana Científica Johanna Döbereiner · Brazil

This work aims to understand the origins of urban farmers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and their traditions of cultivating and consuming spontaneous wild plants. It investigates how this knowledge of biodiversity has been preserved over time and influences current cultivation practices in areas like Colonia Juliano Moreira and Guaratiba. The study also explores opportunities to diversify agro-food systems with these wild plants to intensify ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control.

Moisés Savian, Mari Inês Caríssimi Boff, Pedro Boff · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil

This study evaluated Brazilian scientific production from 2009 to 2018 on urban agriculture's contribution to food and nutritional security, analyzing 34 selected articles out of 612. It found that while agrobiodiversity is present in urban agriculture areas, pesticide use is a reality in some crop plots. The research suggests urban agriculture must be based on agroecology to avoid environmental contamination and produce healthy food.

Michelle Medeiros Jacob · DEMETRA Alimentação Nutrição & Saúde · Brazil

A project at a federal university in Northeast Brazil studied eight unconventional food plants (PANC) in a community garden during 2018, using the Garden-Based Learning (GBL) method. Data on botanical family, names, origin, biome, uses, and nutritional indicators were collected by nutrition students. The GBL method mediated the educational process, and the studied plants showed potential for food and nutritional security due to their suitability to the Caatinga biome and nutrient variety.

Jennifer Engels, Sheree J. Watson, Henrietta Dulai, Kimberly Burnett, Christopher A. Wada, ‘Ano‘ilani Aga, Nathan DeMaagd, J. J. McHugh, Barbara Sumida, Leah L. Bremer · PLoS ONE · United States (O‘ahu)

A researcher-farmer collaboration on O‘ahu's Sumida watercress farm conducted a 25-year trend analysis and a year of intensive spring water sampling. Negative correlations were found between historical crop yields and increases in the Oceanic Niño Index, temperature thresholds, and pest outbreaks. Despite urbanization, on-farm water quality was very high, and microbial analyses suggested the farm provides nutrient retention services to downstream systems. The study demonstrates that challenges facing urban agricultural systems shift over time.

Matthew Potteiger · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States

A review of The Community Food Forest Handbook by Catherine Bukowski and John Munsell of Virginia Tech, a systematic analysis of 30 community food forest projects — landscapes producing food modeled on forest ecosystem form and function. The review reports that only one of the 30 projects has existed for more than 10 years, and situates the food forest movement, like earlier urban agriculture and CSA efforts, as a grassroots phenomenon that has spread across the country with little coordination among individual projects.

Kristen R. Birdshire, Adrian L. Carper, Christy E. Briles · Urban Ecosystems · United States

A study examined bee community responses along a high-plains semi-arid urban-rural gradient in Denver, Colorado, United States, using percent impervious surface across 12 sites to define urbanization extent and combining field assessment with geospatial analysis of local and landscape characteristics; wild bees were collected and analyzed against urbanization using linear modeling. Bee abundance and diversity decreased with increasing urbanization, indicating a negative impact of urban areas on bee communities. All bee guilds responded positively to local floral richness and negatively to landscape-level urbanization, suggesting a shared response pattern across bee types.

Bennett A.B., Lovell S. · PLoS ONE, 14(2):e0212034 · United States (Chicago)

A study of 19 urban agricultural sites in Chicago examining how surrounding land cover (landscape scale) and on-site design (local scale) shape bees and pollination services. Bee responses varied by body size and nesting habit: increasing impervious cover lowered bee richness and reduced pollination services, while more local floral area boosted small soil-nesting bees. It recommends minimizing impervious cover at large scales and adding floral resources locally so urban agriculture can conserve pollinators in the surrounding ecosystem.

Luiza Oliveira Kossatz, Luciana Adelmann · Anais do EVINCI - UniBrasil · Brazil (Paraná)

This work aims to disseminate the concept of urban agriculture by raising awareness of environmental education's benefits for human development. It proposes adopting gardens made from recycled/reusable materials and utilizing endemic Paraná plant species, known as Non-Conventional Food Plants (PANC), that can be cultivated in vertical gardens and serve as food. The research intends to highlight the need to preserve local biodiversity and reduce urban pollution.