Evaluation of the Soil Quality Index Under Conventional and Reduced Tillage for Corn Cultivation at the Tunshi Experimental Station
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55204/trc.v6i2.e700Keywords:
Soil Quality Index, conventional tillage, reduced tillageAbstract
Soil degradation limits maize (Zea mays L.) productivity in the Ecuadorian highlands. This study evaluated the Soil Quality Index (SQI) under conventional tillage (CT) and reduced tillage (RT) at two altitudinal levels of the Tunshi Experimental Station, Polytechnic School of Chimborazo, Ecuador. A split-plot design with four replications was used, considering altitude as the main plot and tillage system as the subplot. Sixteen physical, chemical, and biological indicators were assessed in composite soil samples collected at 0–30 cm before and after tillage. The SQI was calculated through indicator normalization and additive weighting, with weights derived from Principal Component Analysis. Three components explained 72.4% of the total variance. RT increased soil moisture by 34.8%, effective tillage depth by 41.3%, and earthworm abundance by 200% compared with CT. The integrated SQI was 0.49, corresponding to moderate soil quality, mainly constrained by low organic matter (1.73%) and nitrogen content (11.6 kg ha⁻¹). Reduced tillage therefore improves soil conservation and hydrological regulation in Andean maize systems.Downloads
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