Avocado SustainabilityResearch Library
The Avocado Sustainability Center conducts and collects research to advance sustainability practices by all stakeholders across the supply chain, including customers and consumers. Some studies may require payment for full access.
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New research studies underway, will contribute to our future understanding of:
- Water management
- Carbon footprint
- Economic and social impact
Evaluation of leaf carbon isotopes and functional traits in avocado reveals water-use efficient cultivars
Plant water-use efficiency (WUE) describes the ratio of carbon gain to water loss during photosynthesis. It has been shown that WUE varies among crop genotypes, and crops with high WUE can increase agricultural production in the face of finite water supply. We used measures of leaf carbon isotopic composition to compare WUE among 24 cultivars of Persea americana Mill (avocado) to determine genotypic variability in WUE, identify potentially efficient cultivars, and to better understand how breeding
Soil erosion, runoff and nutrient losses in an avocado (Persea americana Mill) hillside orchard under different groundcover management systems
Assess the influence of different groundcover management systems on erosion and runoff processes associated with extremely steep hillside avocado (Persea americana Mill) orchards, in a Mediterranean climate with high rainfall variability. We compared several groundcover management systems at a steep hillside avocado planting in a three-year study: 1) Bare soil (BS), pre- and post-emergence herbicides; 2) Vegetation strip (VS), post-emergence herbicide applied in a 1-m wide strip on the tree row plus
Environmental evaluation of high-value agricultural produce with diverse water sources: case study from Southern California
Meeting agricultural demand in the face of a changing climate will be one of the major challenges of the 21st century. California is the single largest agricultural producer in the United States but is prone to extreme hydrologic events, including multi-year droughts. Ventura County is one of California's most productive growing regions but faces water shortages and deteriorating water quality. The future of California's agriculture is dependent on our ability to identify and implement alternative
Energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions in organic and conventional avocado orchards in Mexico
There is a worldwide growing awareness of the negative impacts of the increasing fossil fuel reliance and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, in particular for intensive crop systems. We analyze the energy balances and greenhouse gas emissions from export-oriented avocado orchards in Mexico. Avocado is a very important export crop and one of the main drivers of land-use change in the country. We compared 12 avocado orchards under organic and conventional management during two production
Evaluation of aerial and root plant growth behavior, water and nutrient use efficiency and carbohydrate dynamics for Hass avocado grown in a soilless and protected growing system
Avocado production is nowadays questioned worldwide and at risk due to climate change and the high water footprint of this crop. Thus, there is need for the development or adoption of new strategies such as alternative production systems. In this study, Hass avocado plants grafted on two rootstocks (Mexicola -seed propagated and Dusa® - vegetative-propagated and referred as clonal) were grown in a greenhouse and substrate (coir growth container, 55 L of volume and 500 × 480 mm, H X W) culture
Blue and Green Water Footprint of Agro-Industrial Avocado Production in Central Mexico
Mexico is the world-leading avocado producer. The municipality of Uruapan in the Avocado Belt region in Central Mexico produces 153,000 tons a year, nearly 6.4% of Mexico’s total volume. We performed a green and blue water footprint (WF) analysis between 2012 to 2017 in this municipality, and compared the estimated WF volumes with water concessions for agriculture. Mean annual rainfall was 1757.0 mm in the study period, mean effective rainfall 877.2 mm, mean crop evapotranspiration 933.1 mm, and
A comprehensive collection of published research investigating topics that are associated with sustainability in avocado production, trade, and economic impact. This library includes published and publicly available research and does not suggest that the Avocado Sustainability Center supports or was involved in the conduct or funding of the research or the dissemination of the research findings.
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