IMPROVED MAIZE YIELD AND PROFITABILITY IN THE HUMID TROPICS THROUGH PERMANENT BEDS, CROP RESIDUES, AND BEAN ROTATION

Ouorou Ganni Mariel Guera, Jonatan Villa-Alcántara, Omar Núñez-Peñaloza, Nele Verhulst, Simon Fonteyne

Abstract


Background. Oaxaca is a Mexican state with diverse agroecological regions, necessitating local studies to evaluate sustainable agricultural practices. The region of Papaloapan, Oaxaca, is characterized by soil degradation, aggravated by steep slopes, high rainfall and the predominance of luvisolic soils, which are prone to erosion on the surface and compaction in the subsoil (plow sole). An alternative to reduce soil degradation could be conservation agriculture, but its successful implementation and mass adoption will require studies to adapt its components (minimum soil movement, permanent soil cover, and crop diversification) to local conditions. Objective. To evaluate the combined effects of conservation agriculture components on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and profitability. Methodology. From 2014 to 2019, a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used to evaluate eight treatments resulting from the combination of tillage practices (conventional tillage, no-tillage, and permanent beds), crop residue management (keep or remove), crop rotation (Mucuna pruriens and Phaseolus vulgaris L.), different fertilization formulas, and soil amendments. Results. Maize rotated with beans in permanent beds with crop residue showed an average yield of 5.2 Mg ha-1, a net profit of $16,517.00 MXN ha-1, and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.69, demonstrating better performance than the control treatment (conventional tillage without crop rotation, 5.1 Mg ha-1, $7,721.00 MXN ha-1, and 1.53). Even without crop rotation, systems with permanent beds and crop residue showed maize yields superior to zero tillage and like conventional tillage. Implications. Maize in spring-summer rotated with beans in autumn-winter in permanent beds with residue retention yields similar to the conventional system and produces higher net profit. Conclusion. Conservation agriculture in its variant of permanent beds with crop residue and maize-bean rotation is a viable option for sustainable agricultural production in the humid tropics such as the Papaloapan.

Keywords


Conservation agriculture; zero tillage; crop rotation; cover crops; integrated fertility; sustainability.

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URN: http://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/urn:ISSN:1870-0462-tsaes.v28i2.57569

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.56369/tsaes.5756

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