Effects of land use on soil micronutrients: evidence from 30 years of management in paraguayan family farming
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2026.e3126Keywords:
soil fertility, nutrients, conservation agricultural systems, soil useAbstract
Soil chemical quality depends, among other factors, on the adequate maintenance of micronutrients. Deficiencies in these elements can compromise the quality and productivity of agricultural crops. In this study, the effect of three land uses on soil micronutrient content was evaluated after 30 years of management in a family farming system in Edelira, Itapúa, Paraguay. The evaluated land uses included native forest (NF) as a reference, grain production with green manures under no-till (GP+GM), and yerba mate production with green manures under no-till (YM+GM). For each scenario, five sampling points were established within homogeneous areas of 100 m² at depths of 0–10 and 10–30 cm to determine pH and the contents of copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn). At the 0–10 cm depth, productive areas exhibited pH values and micronutrient contents comparable to those observed in NF, indicating a similar topsoil chemical condition across land uses. At 10–30 cm, GP+GM showed the lowest contents of Mn and Zn, indicating a distinct response of these elements to land use at greater depth. Overall, the results indicate that conservation systems contributed to maintaining micronutrients only in the topsoil layer, although Mn and Zn showed greater sensitivity to land-use differences with depth. These results illustrate the importance of monitoring micronutrients, especially in grain production systems under prolonged management.
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