Dr Julia Wilson

Research interests

Rural livelihoods in many parts of the world require low-input, robust farming systems. For generations, farmers have conserved and planted trees on their own and communal lands for the many benefits which they provide, and grown them alongside crops in ‘agroforestry’ systems, which are the focus of my research. I am particularly interested in understanding and manipulating below-ground competition for resources and in using mycorrhizal fungi to enhance the productivity of systems.

Most of my recent research has been in Africa, supported by the DFID Forestry Research Programme and the European Union INCO Programmes.

Selected publications

For recent publications, see the NERC Open Research Archive.

2004 and Earlier

Odhiambo, HO, Ong, CK, Deans, JD, Wilson, J, Khan, AAH and Sprent, JI (2001) Roots, soil water and crop yield: tree crop interactions in a semi-arid agroforestry system in Kenya. Plant and Soil 235, 221-233.

Ong, CK, Wilson, J, Deans, JD, Mulatya, J, Raussen, T, Wajja-Musukwe, N. (2002) Tree-crop interactions: manipulation of water use and root function. Agricultural Water Management 53, 171 – 186.

Mulatya, JM, Wilson, J, Ong, CK, Deans, JD, Sprent, JI, Raussen, T. (2002) Root architecture of provenances, seedlings and cuttings of Melia volkensii: implications for crop yield in dryland agroforestry. Agroforestry Systems 56, 65 – 72.

Navarro, C, Wilson, J, Gillies, A, Hernandez, M (2003) A new Mesoamerican collection of big-leaf mahogany. In: Big Leaf Mahogany Genetics, Ecology and Management (eds AE Lugo, JC Figuero Colon, M Alayon), Springer, pp 103 – 114.

Rao MR, Schroth G, Williams S, Namirembe S, Schaller M and Wilson J. (2004) Managing belowground interactions in agroecosystems. In: Belowground Interactions in Tropical Agroecosystems (eds M. van Noordwijk G. Cadisch and C. Ong), CAB International, Wallingford, UK.