Abstract
Conservation Agriculture (CA) is often perceived to underperform in high-rainfall regions, leading to limited research and promotion in such environments. In Zambia, most CA studies have focused on Southern and Eastern regions, with little emphasis on Northern Zambia, despite its need for improved productivity and sustainability. Understanding CA's performance in high-rainfall areas is critical for sustainable agricultural intensification. This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity, soil pH, and soil organic carbon (SOC) using a randomized complete block design. Three CA-based cropping systems were compared to two conventional tillage systems. Yearly precipitation showed significant interannual variability, influencing maize grain yield in a complex cubic response pattern, highlighting nonlinear interactions between cropping systems and rainfall. CA-based systems generally outperformed conventional tillage, particularly in moderate to below-average rainfall years, demonstrating resilience under drier conditions. However, conventional ridge and furrow tillage outperformed CA systems during exceptionally high rainfall years, likely due to better drainage. Over time, yield declines indicated soil fertility depletion, though CA-based systems slowed this decline compared to conventional tillage. Rainfall was identified as a primary driver of cropping system performance, with CA-based systems performing better in below-average to moderate rainfall years and tillage-based systems in excessive rainfall years. Soil pH increased significantly under basin planting at 5–15 cm and 30–60 cm depths, while SOC accumulation was highest at 60–90 cm under ridge and furrow tillage. These findings suggest that while CA can enhance maize productivity in high-rainfall regions, site-specific management strategies are needed to mitigate waterlogging and sustain soil fertility. Further research is needed to explore soil-water dynamics and optimize CA practices under varying rainfall regimes. • Conservation Agriculture (CA) can be implemented in high-rainfall years. • CA outperformed conventional tillage in moderate to below-average rainfall years. • Excessive rainfall favoured ridge and furrow tillage due to improved drainage. • CA slowed soil fertility decline but did not prevent long-term yield reductions. • Rainfall variability strongly influenced maize yield in a nonlinear pattern.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Yearly precipitation influenced maize grain yield in a complex cubic response pattern.
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity”
e1“Yearly precipitation showed significant interannual variability, influencing maize grain yield in a complex cubic response pattern”
Claim · model-written summary
CA-based systems generally outperformed conventional tillage in maize productivity, particularly in moderate to below-average rainfall years.
- Treatment
- CA-based systemse2
- Outcome
- maize productivitye0
- Direction
- outperformede2
- Qualifier
- particularly in moderate to below-average rainfall yearse2
- Comparator
- conventional tillagee2
- Setting
- Northern Zambiae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity”
e2“CA-based systems generally outperformed conventional tillage, particularly in moderate to below-average rainfall years”
Claim · model-written summary
Conventional ridge and furrow tillage outperformed CA systems in maize productivity during exceptionally high rainfall years, likely due to better drainage.
- Treatment
- conventional ridge and furrow tillagee3
- Outcome
- maize productivitye0
- Direction
- outperformede3
- Qualifier
- likely due to better drainagee3
- Comparator
- CA systemse3
- Setting
- Northern Zambiae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity”
e3“conventional ridge and furrow tillage outperformed CA systems during exceptionally high rainfall years, likely due to better drainage”
Claim · model-written summary
CA-based systems slowed the decline in yield compared with conventional tillage over time.
- Treatment
- CA-based systemse4
- Outcome
- yield declinese4
- Direction
- slowede4
- Comparator
- conventional tillagee4
- Setting
- Northern Zambiae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity”
e4“Over time, yield declines indicated soil fertility depletion, though CA-based systems slowed this decline compared to conventional tillage”
Claim · model-written summary
Basin planting significantly increased soil pH at 5–15 cm and 30–60 cm depths.
- Treatment
- basin plantinge5
- Outcome
- soil pHe5
- Direction
- increasede5
- Qualifier
- 5–15 cm and 30–60 cm depthse5
- Setting
- Northern Zambiae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity”
e5“Soil pH increased significantly under basin planting at 5–15 cm and 30–60 cm depths”
Claim · model-written summary
SOC accumulation was highest at 60–90 cm under ridge and furrow tillage.
- Treatment
- ridge and furrow tillagee6
- Outcome
- SOC accumulatione6
- Direction
- higheste6
- Qualifier
- 60–90 cme6
- Setting
- Northern Zambiae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This nine-year study in Northern Zambia evaluated the effects of cropping systems and rainfall variability on maize productivity”
e6“SOC accumulation was highest at 60–90 cm under ridge and furrow tillage”
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