{"type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [{"id": "10.1007/s10705-025-10429-1", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:14:42Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2025-08-20", "title": "Regenerating productivity after soil fertility depletion in a 20-year cotton\u2013maize rotation in Benin", "description": "Abstract           <p>Soil degradation is a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, where integrated soil fertility management has been promoted to restore productivity. A long-term experiment (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) run in Benin consisted of two phases: a depletion phase (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931980) with varying levels of mineral and organic fertilisation, and a regeneration phase (1981\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) where all plots received full fertilisation and organic matter additions. Soils were sampled at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9320\uffc2\uffa0cm depth in 1973, 1974, 1982, and 1989 to assess fertility changes. Mineral fertilisation (N, P, K) and plant biomass management (crop residue retention and biomass additions) significantly influenced seed cotton and maize grain yields during the depletion phase. Soil organic carbon declined consistently in all treatments during depletion but remained stable during regeneration. The long-term effect was evident only in seed cotton yield during depletion. In contrast, due to high variability, maize grain yield showed no consistent trend. The combined use of organic resources and mineral fertilisers helped maintain crop productivity but led to declining soil chemical properties in this Ferralsol. The analysis of this outdated yet unpublished dataset shed light on how long-term soil depletion effects persist over time, even when soil fertility management is restored, indicating a sort of \uffe2\uff80\uff98soil memory\uffe2\uff80\uff99. The persistence of these effect suggests that regenerative interventions must begin before critical thresholds of degradation are crossed. Future research should focus on alternative measures to restore/maintain soil fertility not evaluated in this experiment, such as conservation tillage or legume integration, to provide long-term benefits for smallholder farmers facing soil fertility challenges.</p", "keywords": ["Crop residues", "diversification", "propri\u00e9t\u00e9 physicochimique du sol", "IMPACT", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7170", "rendement des cultures", "Cotton-maize yields", "Nutrient cycling", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_875", "fertilisation", "CARBON", "CROP PRODUCTIVITY", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_10176", "Long-term experiment", "mauvaise herbe", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2018", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7165", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "COMPOST", "pratique culturale", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8511", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_10795", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7168", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_35657", "Gossypium", "Soil organic carbon", "MEMORY", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7182", "Soil's memory", "non-travail du sol", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8fc04948", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_331583", "STATE", "ORGANIC-MATTER", "fertilit\u00e9 du sol", "s\u00e9questration du carbone", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8347", "YIELD", "d\u00e9gradation du sol", "conservation des sols", "MINERAL FERTILIZER", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3335", "gestion int\u00e9gr\u00e9e de la fertilit\u00e9 des sols", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2344", "mati\u00e8re organique du sol"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-025-10429-1"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Nutrient%20Cycling%20in%20Agroecosystems", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s10705-025-10429-1", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s10705-025-10429-1", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s10705-025-10429-1"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2025-08-20T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.agsy.2018.01.012", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:15:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2018-02-03", "title": "Maize Yield And Profitability Tradeoffs With Social, Human And Environmental Performance: Is Sustainable Intensification Feasible?", "description": "Abstract   Sustainable intensification (SI) has been regarded as the basis for environmentally sound and equitable agricultural development. Field based assessment of technologies needs to move beyond production and economic performance to include environment, social and human condition. In this study we systematically consider all five domains of SI based on participatory action research (PAR) initiated in 2012 at three Central Malawi sites that varied in agroecology from low to high potential. Fifteen SI indicators were assessed for four technologies: sole maize (Zea mays L.) with 0 and recommended fertilization (69\u00a0kg N\u00a0ha\u2212\u00a01 and 9\u00a0kg\u00a0P\u00a0ha\u2212\u00a01), pigeonpea (Cajanus Cajun (L.) Millsp.)-maize intercrop (half rate fertilizer), and doubled up legume rotation (DLR, a pigeonpea-groundnut intercrop) sequenced with maize at half rate fertilizer in that phase. Through radar charts SI performance and tradeoffs were visualized, and causal loop analysis allowed identification of research gaps. SI indicator assessments included crop performance from on-farm trials, profitability, modeled probability of food sufficiency, risk of crop failure and ratings of technologies by women farmers who were engaged in evaluation of technologies through participatory research. The PAR included six mother trials, 236 baby trial farmers and a survey that was carried out with 324 farmers (baby trial farmers plus control farmers) to document socio-economic factors and management practices on focal fields. Replicated mother trials further provided the basis for simulation modeling (APSIM) of weather-associated crop failure risk and slow processes such as soil carbon (C) accrual. Radar charts were used to visualize SI performance of the technologies. Environmental performance of the two pigeonpea-diversified technologies was variable, but generally high compared with sole maize systems, due to gains in vegetative biomass, duration of cover and biological nitrogen (N) fixation. Maize production and economic assessment varied by site, and with steeper tradeoffs for legume diversification in the mesic site, less so in the marginal site. The domains of social and human capacity building were superior for legume integration, notably in terms of diverse diet, food security and farmer preferences (notably, female farmers generally favored legume crops). Performance varied by site with legume systems most beneficial at the most marginal site, including less risk of crop failure than unfertilized maize. Causal loop analyses identified regulators of SI that require further attention, notably: crop-livestock conflicts and opportunities, male-female control of legume crop production, and residue management. Overall, the SI indicators framework provided a systematic means to consider tradeoffs and opportunities associated with novel crop combinations and management practices.", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "legumes", "malawi", "sustainable intensification", "crop production", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "maize", "01 natural sciences", "indicators", "12. Responsible consumption", "maize yield", "causal loop", "trade-offs", "13. Climate action", "11. Sustainability", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.01.012"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agricultural%20Systems", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.agsy.2018.01.012", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.agsy.2018.01.012", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.01.012"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-05-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.04.009", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:16:11Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2014-05-10", "title": "Biochar Impact On Midwestern Mollisols And Maize Nutrient Availability", "description": "Abstract   Biochar applications have been shown to increase crop yields on acidic and low activity soils in the tropics but fewer positive yield responses have been reported for temperate soils. We hypothesized that even without a yield response, applying biochar to a Midwestern Mollisol could improve soil quality and plant nutrient availability because of the carbon it supplies and its conditioning effect. Eighteen small field plots (23.7\u00a0m 2 ) on a glacial-till derived soil were established by incorporating 0 to 96\u00a0Mg\u00a0ha \u2212\u00a01  of hardwood biochar to a depth of 30\u00a0cm. Several soil quality indicators, plant nutrient availability, uptake, and yield of two consecutive maize ( Zea mays  L.) crops were monitored. Biochar application significantly increased soil pH, readily available water (RAW) content (defined as volumetric water available between \u2212\u00a010\u00a0kPa and \u2212\u00a0100\u00a0kPa) and soil organic C (SOC). It decreased bulk density (BD), but had no consistent effect on soil infiltration rates, CEC, or nutrient uptake. Biochar application did increase grain yield during the first year by 11 to 55% following very high stover application rates (3.5\u00a0\u00d7 the typical amount), presumably because biochar mitigated adverse effects of allelochemicals released from the decomposing maize residue. There was no detectable biochar effect on maize yield during the second year when the crop was limited by severe drought.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Biochar", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Maize yield", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "Soil quality", "630", "6. Clean water", "Allelopathy", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.04.009"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Geoderma", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.04.009", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.04.009", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.04.009"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2014-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.still.2008.05.016", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:16:56Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2008-09-10", "title": "Effect Of Organic And Inorganic Nutrient Sources On Soil Mineral Nitrogen And Maize Yields In Central Highlands Of Kenya", "description": "Abstract   High population pressure in the central highlands of Kenya has led to continuous cultivation of land with minimal additional inputs leading to soil nutrient depletion. Research work has reported positive results from use of manure and biomass from  Tithonia ,  Calliandra ,  Leucaena ,  Mucuna  and  Crotolaria  for soil fertility replenishment. An experimental field was set up in Chuka Division to test different soil nutrient replenishment treatments. The experimental design was randomised complete block with 14 treatments replicated three times. At the beginning and end of the experiment, soil was sampled at 0\u201315\u00a0cm depth and analysed for pH, Ca, Mg, K, C, N and P. End of the 2000/2001 short rains (SR) season and 2001 long rains (LR) season, soil samples were taken at 0\u201330, 30\u2013100 and 100\u2013150\u00a0cm for nitrate and ammonium analysis. All the treatments received an equivalent of 60\u00a0kg\u00a0N\u00a0ha \u22121 , except herbaceous legume treatments, where N was determined by the amount of the biomass harvested and incorporated in soil and control treatment received no inputs. Results indicate soil fertility increased slightly in all treatments (except control) over the 2-year study period. Average maize grain yield across the treatments was 1.1, 5.4, 3.5 and 4.0\u00a0Mg\u00a0ha \u22121  during the 2000 LR, 2000/2001 SR, 2001 LR and 2001/2002 SR, respectively. The reduced yield in 2000 LR and 2001 LR are attributed to poor rainfall distribution during the two seasons. On average,  Tithonia  with half recommended rate of inorganic fertilizer recorded the highest (4.8\u00a0Mg\u00a0ha \u22121 ) maize yield followed by sole  Tithonia  (4.7\u00a0Mg\u00a0ha \u22121 ). Highest average concentration (144.8 and 115.5\u00a0kg\u00a0N\u00a0ha \u22121 ) of mineral N was recorded at the 30\u2013100\u00a0cm soil depth at the end of both 2000/2001 SR and LR, respectively. The lowest average concentration (67.1\u00a0kg\u00a0N\u00a0ha \u22121 ) was recorded in the 100\u2013150\u00a0cm soil depth in both seasons, while during the 2001 LR, the 0\u201330\u00a0cm soil depth recorded the lowest concentration (52.3\u00a0kg\u00a0N\u00a0ha \u22121 ). The residual mineral N in the 100\u2013150\u00a0cm soil depth doubled at the end of the LR 2001 compared to what was present and the end of the SR 2000/2001 season in all treatments. This shows that there is substantial amount of mineral N that is being leached below the rooting zone of maize in this region.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Long rains", "Central highlands of Kenya", "Herbaceous legumes", "Short rains", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Maize yield", "15. Life on land", "Biomass transfer", "630", "6. Clean water"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.05.016"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20and%20Tillage%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.still.2008.05.016", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.still.2008.05.016", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.still.2008.05.016"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2009-05-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1023/a:1004873206350", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:17:16Z", "type": "Journal Article", "description": "Open AccessUsing a three year trial in Nigeria, this article examines the effectiveness of leguminous cover crops on maize yield in West Africa. Testing multiple types of cover crops, the study universally demonstrates the cover crops conserve nitrogen and result in improvements for maize yield in both drier and wetter years. While the cover crop was more effective in improving nitrogen in wetter conditions, yields still improved during the drier year with the cover crop.", "keywords": ["Soil nutrients", "Soil management", "fertilizers", "Conservation agriculture", "Nitrogen concentration", "legumes", "trials", "Green manure crops", "crops", "Soil fertility", "Soil quality", "Biomass production", "Legume cover crops", "Soil conservation", "Nitrogen fertilizer replacement index", "West Africa", "Maize yield", "Field Scale"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Tian, G., Kolawole, G.O., Kang, B.T., Kirchhof, G.,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1004873206350"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Plant%20and%20Soil", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1023/a:1004873206350", "name": "item", "description": "10.1023/a:1004873206350", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1023/a:1004873206350"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2000-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "11370/a5fba259-dd61-43ac-8b8a-86b2d5fd6cef", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:24:56Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2025-08-20", "title": "Regenerating productivity after soil fertility depletion in a 20-year cotton\u2013maize rotation in Benin", "description": "Abstract           <p>Soil degradation is a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, where integrated soil fertility management has been promoted to restore productivity. A long-term experiment (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) run in Benin consisted of two phases: a depletion phase (1972\uffe2\uff80\uff931980) with varying levels of mineral and organic fertilisation, and a regeneration phase (1981\uffe2\uff80\uff931992) where all plots received full fertilisation and organic matter additions. Soils were sampled at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9320\uffc2\uffa0cm depth in 1973, 1974, 1982, and 1989 to assess fertility changes. Mineral fertilisation (N, P, K) and plant biomass management (crop residue retention and biomass additions) significantly influenced seed cotton and maize grain yields during the depletion phase. Soil organic carbon declined consistently in all treatments during depletion but remained stable during regeneration. The long-term effect was evident only in seed cotton yield during depletion. In contrast, due to high variability, maize grain yield showed no consistent trend. The combined use of organic resources and mineral fertilisers helped maintain crop productivity but led to declining soil chemical properties in this Ferralsol. The analysis of this outdated yet unpublished dataset shed light on how long-term soil depletion effects persist over time, even when soil fertility management is restored, indicating a sort of \uffe2\uff80\uff98soil memory\uffe2\uff80\uff99. The persistence of these effect suggests that regenerative interventions must begin before critical thresholds of degradation are crossed. Future research should focus on alternative measures to restore/maintain soil fertility not evaluated in this experiment, such as conservation tillage or legume integration, to provide long-term benefits for smallholder farmers facing soil fertility challenges.</p", "keywords": ["Crop residues", "propri\u00e9t\u00e9 physicochimique du sol", "IMPACT", "rendement des cultures", "Cotton-maize yields", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_875", "fertilisation", "CARBON", "Long-term experiment", "mauvaise herbe", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2018", "[SDV.SA.SDS] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Agricultural sciences/Soil study", "COMPOST", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8511", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_10795", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_35657", "Cotton\u2013maize yields", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7182", "Soil's memory", "non-travail du sol", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8fc04948", "STATE", "[SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_8347", "ORGANIC-MATTER", "s\u00e9questration du carbone", "fertilit\u00e9 du sol", "Soil\u2019s memory", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3335", "gestion int\u00e9gr\u00e9e de la fertilit\u00e9 des sols", "mati\u00e8re organique du sol", "diversification", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7170", "Nutrient cycling", "CROP PRODUCTIVITY", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_10176", "B\u00e9nin", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7165", "pratique culturale", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7168", "Longterm experiment", "Gossypium", "Soil organic carbon", "MEMORY", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_331583", "YIELD", "d\u00e9gradation du sol", "conservation des sols", "MINERAL FERTILIZER", "http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2344"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/11370/a5fba259-dd61-43ac-8b8a-86b2d5fd6cef"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Nutrient%20Cycling%20in%20Agroecosystems", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "11370/a5fba259-dd61-43ac-8b8a-86b2d5fd6cef", "name": "item", "description": "11370/a5fba259-dd61-43ac-8b8a-86b2d5fd6cef", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/11370/a5fba259-dd61-43ac-8b8a-86b2d5fd6cef"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2025-08-20T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Maize+yield&f=json", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "alternate", "type": "text/html", "title": "This document as HTML", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Maize+yield&f=html", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection URL", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"type": "application/geo+json", "rel": "first", "title": "items (first)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Maize+yield&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Maize+yield&offset=6", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 6, "numberReturned": 6, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-07-27T08:58:29.078999Z"}