Toward greater sustainability: how investing in soil health may enhance maize productivity in Southern Africa

Abstract Climate change and soil fertility decline are major threats to smallholder farmers' food nutrition security in southern Africa, cropping systems that improve health needed address these challenges. Cropping invest organic matter, such as no-tillage (NT) with crop residue retention, have been proposed potential solutions. However, a key challenge for assessing the sustainability of NT is carbon (C) stocks develop over long timescales, there an urgent need identify trajectory indicators productivity. Here we examined effects compared conventional tillage without retention on relationships between characteristics maize ( Zea mays L.) productivity long-term on-farm on-station trials Zimbabwe. Our results show productivity, management relationships, varied type. Total nitrogen (N) C were strong predictors grain yield above-ground biomass (i.e., stover) clayey soils, but not sandy under both managements. This highlights context-specific benefits fosters accumulation N stocks. Despite effect this accrual was sufficient support increased soils. We suggest soils should be priority target resource inputs interventions mineral fertilizer alone will halt decline. require holistic approach input various forms (e.g., from cover crops tree components, residues, combination fertilizers). Clayey other hand greater buffering capacity against detrimental low input.