Maize (Zea mays L.) is Mexico's primary staple food, but the Country's degrading soils and climate variability limit its productivity. Conservation agriculture (CA), a management technique that combines minimal tillage, permanent soil cover, and crop diversification, could reduce soil degradation and help improve soil health. There is however a lack of information about the effects of CA on soil health in the diverse agroecological conditions in Mexico. This study reports results of a field trial network established to adapt CA to Mexico's diverse cropping systems and local conditions. Physicochemical soil health, also referred to as soil quality, was studied in 20 trials in agro‐ecologies ranging from handplanted traditional systems to intensive irrigated systems, initiated between 1991 and 2016. Soil in CA was compared to the local conventional practice (CP), which commonly involves tillage, residue removal, and continuous maize production. Across the sites, organic matter and nitrates were higher in the top (0–5 cm) layer of soil and soil aggregate stability was greater under CA than under CPs. For other soil health parameters, such as nutrient content, pH or penetration resistance, the effects of management varied widely across sites and soil types and most were determined more by local soil type than by management. CA increased maize yields at most sites and on average by 0.85 ± 1.80 t ha⁻¹. Given the significant variation across agro‐ecologies, local adaptive trials are important to assess the effects of CA on soil health and fit the practice to local conditions.

中文翻译：

---

在墨西哥不同农业生态区的20个基于玉米的试验中，保护性农业对土壤理化土壤健康的影响

玉米（Zea maysL.）是墨西哥的主要主食，但该国土壤退化和气候多变性限制了其生产力。保护性农业（CA）是一种管理技术，可将耕种减少，永久性土壤覆盖和作物多样化相结合，可减少土壤退化并改善土壤健康状况。然而，在墨西哥各种农业生态条件下，缺乏有关CA对土壤健康影响的信息。这项研究报告了建立田间试验网络的结果，以使CA适应墨西哥的各种种植系统和当地条件。在1991年至2016年间进行了20次农业生态试验，研究了物理化学土壤健康（也称为土壤质量），从人工种植的传统系统到集约灌溉系统。将CA中的土壤与当地的常规做法（CP）进行了比较，后者通常涉及耕种，去除残留物和连续生产玉米。在整个站点上，土壤最上层（0-5厘米）的有机质和硝酸盐含量较高，CA下的土壤团聚体稳定性高于CPs下。对于其他土壤健康参数，例如养分含量，pH值或抗渗透性，管理的效果因地点和土壤类型的不同而有很大差异，而且大多数决定因素更多是由当地土壤类型决定，而不是管理。CA在大多数地点提高了玉米单产，平均提高了0.85±1.80吨公顷 对于其他土壤健康参数，例如养分含量，pH值或抗渗透性，管理的效果因地点和土壤类型的不同而有很大差异，而且大多数决定因素更多是由当地土壤类型决定，而不是管理。CA在大多数地点提高了玉米单产，平均提高了0.85±1.80吨公顷 对于其他土壤健康参数，例如养分含量，pH值或抗渗透性，管理的效果因地点和土壤类型的不同而有很大差异，而且大多数决定因素更多是由当地土壤类型决定，而不是管理。CA在大多数地点提高了玉米单产，平均提高了0.85±1.80吨公顷^-1。鉴于农业生态学的巨大差异，当地的适应性试验对于评估CA对土壤健康的影响并使其适应当地条件非常重要。