Effects of production systems with maize (Zea mays L.) on soil fertility and biological diversity in the Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico

Acceso en línea sin restricciones

The abuse of chemical products in the production systems in the Central American tropical region has caused a series of drastic effects on the natural resources leading to the lowering of yields at medium and long terms. It also destroys sustainable production and depends highly on external inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. The objectives of the research were to analyze the bases for the implementation of sustainable agriculture practices in Chiapas agricultural systems with maize. The investigation was carried out during cropping cycle 2002-2003 in the region of the Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico. Four treatments with experimental areas of one hectare each were selected: (i) production system with maize (roza-tumba-quema = slash and burn) with 2 years cropping; (ii) production system with 6 years monoculture maize; (iii) production system with 12 years monoculture maize; (iv) area with tropical rain forest. In each experimental unit the physical and chemical soil properties, the dynamic of weed populations and the productivity of each system were determined, a one-way experimental design with seven levels was applied, each level with four repetitions. The dynamic of the soil fertility of the production systems with maize, indicates that the content of organic C, N total, K, Ca and Mg, was strongly reduced by the duration of maize cultivation. The lowest values were recorded in the maize treatment with 12 years of monoculture, whereas the treatment with 2 years maize cropping demonstrated soil values very similar to the tropical rain forest. To the contrary, P increased in the systems with continuous maize growing. eng

The weed biomass decreases with maize cropping duration, having the highest biomass production in the treatment with 2 years maize cropping. The diversity of weeds also was reduced by maize cropping duration, encompassing 20 weed species in the treatment with 2 years maize cropping followed with 17 weed species in the 6 years maize monoculture and only 12 weed species in the treatment with 12 years of maize monoculture. The maize yield oscillates significantly between 4353 kg*ha−1 (2 years maize cropping) and 1785 kg*ha−1 (12 years of maize monoculture). eng

Disponible en línea

Adobe Acrobat profesional 6.0 o superior