Restoring Soil Health with Legume-Based Integrated Farming Systems

Ana Clara Santos Duarte, Jaqueline de Cássia de Oliveira, Warley Rodrigues de Oliveira, Igor Costa de Freitas, Álissam de Sá Cardoso, Alex José Silva Couto, Walter José Rodrigues Matrangolo, Karina Toledo da Silva, Rodinei Facco Pegoraro and Leidivan Almeida Frazão ()
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Ana Clara Santos Duarte: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Jaqueline de Cássia de Oliveira: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Warley Rodrigues de Oliveira: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Igor Costa de Freitas: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Álissam de Sá Cardoso: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Alex José Silva Couto: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Walter José Rodrigues Matrangolo: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Milho e Sorgo, Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Sete Lagoas 35738-000, Brazil
Karina Toledo da Silva: Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais, Prudente de Morais 35738-000, Brazil
Rodinei Facco Pegoraro: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil
Leidivan Almeida Frazão: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Montes Claros 39404-547, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: Faced with the dual challenge of increasing agricultural production (both intensified and diversified) and improving soil health, this study investigated the capacity of legume-based integrated farming systems to restore soil health in the Brazilian Cerrado. For that, we evaluated two experiments in the Minas Gerais State comparing the following land use systems: native vegetation (NV), conventional tillage with Zea mays (CT-8), two pasture systems with Urochloa decumbens (PAST-13) and Urochloa brizantha (PAST-1), and three integrated production systems arranged with Cratylia argentea + Zea mays (IPS-8A), Gliricidia sepium + Zea mays (IPS-8B) and Cratylia argentea + Urochloa brizantha (IPS-1). To assess seasonal variations in microbial attributes (microbial carbon [Cmic], microbial quotient (qMIC), and enzymatic activity, we collected soil samples during the rainy season (December 2021) and the dry season (July 2022). Soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks were also evaluated. The soil C and N stocks in pasture systems were similar to VN, with values of 120 and 8.2 Mg ha −1 in PAST-1 at 0–30 cm. Additionally, integrated systems with legume crops promoted an increase in soil C stocks up to 24% (IPS-8B) when compared to monoculture cultivated under conventional tillage (CT-8). We also found that the legume-based integrated farming systems increased Cmic and β-glucosidase activity at the surface layers. Our findings demonstrate that integrated systems utilizing Cratylia argentea and Gliricidia sepium offer a promising approach to soil health restoration and a potential replacement for annual crop and pasture monocultures in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Keywords: β-glucosidase; Cratylia argentea; Gliricidia sepium; soil microbial carbon; soil organic matter; sustainable intensification (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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