Sustainable farming practices are required to address the persistent problems of land degradation and declining crop productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Approaches such as reducing tillage and retaining crop residues as mulch are potential entry points for smallholder farmers to move towards sustainability. In this study, we assessed the impact of reduced tillage (RT) compared with conventional tillage (CT), each combined with crop residue reapplication, on soil quality indicators and crop yields under an 8-year trial in western Kenya. Our results indicate that RT combined with crop residue reapplication enhanced soil physical quality through increased macroaggregate (>2000\uffc2\uffb5m) proportions and mean weight diameter. Similarly, lower respiratory quotient values indicate that soil microbes under RT have better substrate-use efficiency than those under CT. Nevertheless, soil organic carbon (C), potentially mineralisable C, microbial biomass C and mineral nitrogen contents were all higher under CT with crop residue incorporated into the soil. Maize grain yield and aboveground biomass were also higher under CT. Thus, despite RT showing potential to improve soil physical properties, CT performed better. A stepwise approach is proposed towards the practice of conservation agriculture under resource-constrained smallholder farming conditions, starting with increased biomass production to provide crop residue for soil cover, followed by RT approaches.
", "keywords": ["labranza de conservaci\u00f3n", "2. Zero hunger", "soil chemicophysical properties", "soil fertility", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "crop yield", "fertilidad del suelo", "15. Life on land", "smallholders", "12. Responsible consumption", "sistemas de explotaci\u00f3n", "nutrient management", "13. Climate action", "propiedades f\u00edsico - qu\u00edmicas suelo", "conservation tillage", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "farming systems", "rendimiento de cultivos"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1071/sr15074"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1071/sr15074", "name": "item", "description": "10.1071/sr15074", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1071/sr15074"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2016-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5424/sjar/2006044-212", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:21:05Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-11-21", "description": "Soil degradation is the result of interactions involving the soil itself, human activity, climate, relief, and vegetation. These can lead to changes in —or even the loss of— certain characteristics of the soil, reducing its present and future productive capacity. The aim of this study was to determine the behaviour of a number of soil physical variables and total organic carbon content, as well as the root activity and yield of crops grown in rotation (soybean in 1998/1999 and maize in 1999/2000) under direct sowing (DS) and conventional tillage (CT) conditions. Root activity was assessed using an isotopic methodology involving the uptake of 32P. The root activity of the soybean crop, which grew under normal rainfall conditions, was greater under CT conditions. That of the maize crop, which grew when rainfall was well below normal, was greater under DS conditions. Bulk density was higher and total porosity lower in the upper 0.10 m of the soil in the DS plots. Conventional tillage led to lower penetration resistance values in the upper layers of the soil profile. No differences in soil total organic carbon were found between the two tillage systems. The soil water content of the upper soil layers was higher under DS. The yield of the soybean crop under CT was 57% higher than under DS. The yield of maize was affected by water deficiency; higher yields were obtained with DS than with CT.
", "keywords": ["Glycine max", "Argentina", "Rendimiento de cultivos", "Soil fertility", "Zea mays", "Tracer techniques", "Glycine max; Zea mays; Crop rotation; Conventional tillage; Zero tillage; Soil chemicophysical properties; Soil fertility; Tracer techniques; Crop yield; Argentina", "Glycine max; Zea mays; Rotaci\u00f3n de cultivos; Labranza convencional; Cero-labranza; Propiedades f\u00edsico - qu\u00edmicas suelo; Fertilidad del suelo; T\u00e9cnicas de trazadores; Rendimiento de cultivos; Argentina", "Crop rotation", "Labranza convencional", "Crop yield", "Fertilidad del suelo", "2. Zero hunger", "Conventional tillage", "Soil chemicophysical properties", "0402 animal and dairy science", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "T\u00e9cnicas de trazadores", "6. Clean water", "Propiedades f\u00edsico - qu\u00edmicas suelo", "Zero tillage", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Rotaci\u00f3n de cultivos", "AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING", "Cero-labranza"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Barrios, M.B., Bozzo, A.A., Debelis, S.P., Pereyra, A.M., Buj\u00e1n, A.,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2006044-212"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Spanish%20Journal%20of%20Agricultural%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5424/sjar/2006044-212", "name": "item", "description": "10.5424/sjar/2006044-212", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5424/sjar/2006044-212"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2006-12-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5424/sjar/2008062-320", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:21:05Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-11-21", "description": "The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of adding DMPP (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate) to urea on nitrate leaching and maize (Zea mays L.) yield over two growing seasons. Two nitrogen (N) levels (optimum and excessive) were applied to an irrigated maize crop under Mediterranean conditions. There were five treatments: optimal N (as urea) and the same dose plus DMPP; optimal N (as urea plus 40 kg N/ha) and the same N dose plus DMPP; and a control with no added N fertilizer. The maize was irrigated with an overhead mobile-line sprinkler system. EnviroSCAN probes were used to determine drainage and evapotranspiration and ceramic cups to obtain soil solution samples at a soil depth of 1.4 m. The use of DMPP with urea reduced nitrate leaching. No phytotoxic effects were observed due to the DMPP. There were no differences in grain yield between treatments with and without DMPP at the same rate of N. When DMPP was applied, sodium was displaced from the soil exchange complex due to increased NH4+ concentration, which also increased the electrical conductivity of soil in the drainage zone.
", "keywords": ["ZEA MAYS; APLICACION DE ABONOS; ABONOS NITROGENADOS; UREA; NITRATOS; LIXIVIACION; POLUCION DE AGUAS SUBTERRANEAS; INHIBIDORES DE LA NITRIFICACION; CONTROL DE LA CONTAMINACION; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS", "NITRIFICATION INHIBITORS", "INHIBIDORES DE LA NITRIFICACION", "NITROGEN FERTILIZERS", "CONTROL DE LA CONTAMINACION", "LEACHING", "POLLUTION CONTROL", "GROUNDWATER POLLUTION", "NITRATES", "Fertilizing", "RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS", "CROP YIELD", "FERTILIZER APPLICATION", "APLICACION DE ABONOS", "ZEA MAYS", "ZEA MAYS; FERTILIZER APPLICATION; NITROGEN FERTILIZERS; UREA; NITRATES; LEACHING; GROUNDWATER POLLUTION; NITRIFICATION INHIBITORS; POLLUTION CONTROL; CROP YIELD", "POLUCION DE AGUAS SUBTERRANEAS", "2. Zero hunger", "ABONOS NITROGENADOS", "0402 animal and dairy science", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "6. Clean water", "NITRATOS", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "LIXIVIACION", "UREA"], "contacts": [{"organization": "D\u00edez L\u00f3pez, J.A., Hernaiz, P.,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2008062-320"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Spanish%20Journal%20of%20Agricultural%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5424/sjar/2008062-320", "name": "item", "description": "10.5424/sjar/2008062-320", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5424/sjar/2008062-320"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2008-06-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5424/sjar/2009073-456", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-09-20T16:21:05Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-11-19", "description": "Conservation tillage has been promoted as a solution to counteract constraints caused by intensive agriculture. In this work the effects of two conservation tillage systems, reduced tillage (RT) and no-tillage (NT) were compared to the traditional tillage (TT) in a long- (15 years, RT) and short-term experiment (3 years, NT). Both experiments were carried out under semi-arid, rainfed agriculture of Mediterranean SW Spain. Tillage caused a sharp increase in soil CO2 emissions immediately after tillage implementation, with a maximum value of 6.24 g CO2/square m/h under long-term TT treatment. Along the year, losses of carbon through CO2 emission were higher (905 and 801 g C/square m/year for the long- and shortterm TT treatments respectively), than those estimated for conservation systems (764 and 718 g C/square m/year for RT and NT respectively). Conservation tillage systems accumulated more soil organic carbon (SOC) in surface than the corresponding TT treatments (1.24 and 1.17 times greater for RT and NT, respectively, at 0-10 cm depth). Despite SOC accumulation would be moderate other variables related to soil quality, such as dehydrogenase activity, can be consistently increased in soil surface in conservation tillage, as the stratification ratio values indicated. Crop yields in conservation tillage were similar to or even greater than those obtained in TT. The agricultural (soil quality) and environmental (less CO2 emission to the atmosphere) benefits derived from conservation tillage make this system recommendable for semi-arid Mediterranean rainfed agriculture.
", "keywords": ["CULTIVOS; CULTIVO EN TIERRAS ARIDAS; LABRANZA MINIMA; CERO-LABRANZA; LABRANZA CONVENCIONAL; CARBONO; FERTILIDAD DEL SUELO; PROTECCION AMBIENTAL; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS; EXPERIMENTACION; ESPANA", "PROTECCION AMBIENTAL", "Soil quality", "EXPERIMENTACION", "12. Responsible consumption", "CARBON", "CULTIVOS", "RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS", "Rendimiento de cultivo", "CROP YIELD", "ESPANA", "SOIL FERTILITY", "Calidad del suelo", "EXPERIMENTATION", "Conservation tillage", "CROPS", "2. Zero hunger", "FERTILIDAD DEL SUELO", "Crop yields", "SPAIN", "CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE", "0402 animal and dairy science", "AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY", "Laboreo de conservaci\u00f3n", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "CULTIVO EN TIERRAS ARIDAS", "6. Clean water", "CO2 fluxes", "Flujo del CO2", "LABRANZA CONVENCIONAL", "CERO-LABRANZA", "CROPS; DRY FARMING; MINIMUM TILLAGE; ZERO TILLAGE; CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE; CARBON; SOIL FERTILITY; ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; CROP YIELD; EXPERIMENTATION; SPAIN", "13. Climate action", "MINIMUM TILLAGE", "ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION", "CARBONO", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "LABRANZA MINIMA", "DRY FARMING", "ZERO TILLAGE"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2009073-456"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Spanish%20Journal%20of%20Agricultural%20Research", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5424/sjar/2009073-456", "name": "item", "description": "10.5424/sjar/2009073-456", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5424/sjar/2009073-456"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2009-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}], "links": [{"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "This document as GeoJSON", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Rendimiento+de+cultivos&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=Rendimiento+de+cultivos&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=Rendimiento+de+cultivos&", "hreflang": "en-US"}, {"rel": "last", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "items (last)", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items?keywords=Rendimiento+de+cultivos&offset=4", "hreflang": "en-US"}], "numberMatched": 4, "numberReturned": 4, "distributedFeatures": [], "timeStamp": "2026-09-21T00:57:12.639707Z"}