Cover crops in family farming systems: initial experimental evidence on soil properties and crop yields in Paraguay
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2026.e3108Keywords:
no-tillage, green manures, organic matter, sustainability, productivityAbstract
The study was conducted between 2022 and 2024 at the experimental field of the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences –UNA, in Caazapá, Paraguay, with the objective of evaluating the effect of different cover crop systems on soil chemical properties and the productivity of maize and cassava under family farming conditions. Five treatments were compared in a randomized complete block design: a control with no-tillage over fallow (SD1) and four systems with different combinations of summer and winter green manures (SD2–SD5). Soil chemical properties and crop productivity parameters were analyzed using ANOVA (Duncan p ? 0.05). The results indicated that green manures increased organic matter, although pH showed a reduction in SD2 attributed to mineralization. Phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and potassium levels remained low in all systems, highlighting soil chemical limitations. In maize, cover crops increased the number of grains per row and productivity, with SD3 standing out at 5,080 kg/ha. Regarding cassava, the systems with cover crops outperformed the control, with yields up to 16% higher than SD1. It is concluded that the integration of cover crops and sustainable management practices is key to maximizing productivity, conserving soil, and strengthening the resilience of family farming in Caazapá, increasing yields by up to 102.8% in maize and 16.1% in cassava in highly weathered soils.
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