Articles | Volume 10, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-151-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-151-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| 
20 Feb 2024
Original research article |
| 20 Feb 2024
| 20 Feb 2024
Mulch application as the overarching factor explaining increase in soil organic carbon stocks under conservation agriculture in two 8-year-old experiments in Zimbabwe
Armwell Shumba
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe
Fertilizer, Farm Feeds and Remedies Institute, Department of Research and Specialist Services, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Harare, Zimbabwe
Regis Chikowo
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
Christian Thierfelder
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
Marc Corbeels
AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nairobi, Kenya
Johan Six
Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Rémi Cardinael
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe
AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
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Cited
17 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Depth effects of long-term organic residue application on soil organic carbon stocks in central Kenya C. Müller et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2733-2025
- Limited effect of organic matter addition on stabilised organic carbon in four tropical arable soils M. Van de Broek et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-187-2026
- Are agroecological practices pro-poor? Evidence from smallholder farms in Zimbabwe F. Baudron et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104883
- Fertilizer and soil health for sustained crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: Theory and conceptual framework B. Vanlauwe et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-026-00161-w
- Surface albedo and thermal radiation dynamics under conservation and conventional agriculture in subhumid Zimbabwe S. Diop et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2025.106804
- Soil carbon and nitrogen emissions under farmer managed conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe J. Meyer zu Drewer et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-025-10451-3
- Reflecting on surface albedo and climate P. Gottschalk et al. https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01764
- Intra-seasonal rainfall patterns and extremes drive maize productivity and nitrogen use in sub-humid Zimbabwe A. Bouhenache et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110126
- Recent advances in regenerative sustainable agricultural strategies for managing soil carbon and mitigating climate change consequences A. Kumar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.109208
- Soil organic carbon and related properties under conservation agriculture and contrasting conventional fields in Northern Malawi M. Manzeke-Kangara et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2024.1481275
- Conservation agriculture in mesic savannas: impact on soil organic carbon and nutrient stocks in Ghana P. Antwi-Agyei et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-025-12321-1
- Effect of Intercropping and Mulching on Weed Composition in Agroclimatic Zones of Zimbabwe J. Murimwa et al. https://doi.org/10.1155/ioa/1157982
- Drivers of soil organic carbon stocks at village scale in a sub-humid region of Zimbabwe R. Nyawasha et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.108843
- Enhancing “4 per 1000” initiative implementation through region-specific agricultural and forestry practices L. Koutika et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilad.2025.100057
- Impacts of long-term cassava-based conservation agriculture systems on soil greenhouse gas emissions in Cambodia V. Leng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2026.110363
- Agroecology in Action: Cross-Country Spatial Insights on Land Degradation, Soil Productivity, and Carbon Sequestration Z. Shiri et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcar.2026.02.002
- Diachronic assessment of soil organic C and N dynamics under long-term no-till cropping systems in the tropical upland of Cambodia V. Leng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-699-2024
17 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Depth effects of long-term organic residue application on soil organic carbon stocks in central Kenya C. Müller et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2733-2025
- Limited effect of organic matter addition on stabilised organic carbon in four tropical arable soils M. Van de Broek et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-187-2026
- Are agroecological practices pro-poor? Evidence from smallholder farms in Zimbabwe F. Baudron et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104883
- Fertilizer and soil health for sustained crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: Theory and conceptual framework B. Vanlauwe et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-026-00161-w
- Surface albedo and thermal radiation dynamics under conservation and conventional agriculture in subhumid Zimbabwe S. Diop et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2025.106804
- Soil carbon and nitrogen emissions under farmer managed conservation agriculture in Zimbabwe J. Meyer zu Drewer et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-025-10451-3
- Reflecting on surface albedo and climate P. Gottschalk et al. https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01764
- Intra-seasonal rainfall patterns and extremes drive maize productivity and nitrogen use in sub-humid Zimbabwe A. Bouhenache et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110126
- Recent advances in regenerative sustainable agricultural strategies for managing soil carbon and mitigating climate change consequences A. Kumar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.109208
- Soil organic carbon and related properties under conservation agriculture and contrasting conventional fields in Northern Malawi M. Manzeke-Kangara et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoil.2024.1481275
- Conservation agriculture in mesic savannas: impact on soil organic carbon and nutrient stocks in Ghana P. Antwi-Agyei et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-025-12321-1
- Effect of Intercropping and Mulching on Weed Composition in Agroclimatic Zones of Zimbabwe J. Murimwa et al. https://doi.org/10.1155/ioa/1157982
- Drivers of soil organic carbon stocks at village scale in a sub-humid region of Zimbabwe R. Nyawasha et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2025.108843
- Enhancing “4 per 1000” initiative implementation through region-specific agricultural and forestry practices L. Koutika et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilad.2025.100057
- Impacts of long-term cassava-based conservation agriculture systems on soil greenhouse gas emissions in Cambodia V. Leng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2026.110363
- Agroecology in Action: Cross-Country Spatial Insights on Land Degradation, Soil Productivity, and Carbon Sequestration Z. Shiri et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcar.2026.02.002
- Diachronic assessment of soil organic C and N dynamics under long-term no-till cropping systems in the tropical upland of Cambodia V. Leng et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-699-2024
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 04 Sep 2026
Short summary
Conservation agriculture (CA), combining reduced or no tillage, permanent soil cover, and improved rotations, is often promoted as a climate-smart practice. However, our knowledge of the impact of CA on top- and subsoil soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the low-input cropping systems of sub-Saharan Africa is rather limited. Using two long-term experimental sites with different soil types, we found that mulch could increase top SOC stocks, but no tillage alone had a slightly negative impact.
Conservation agriculture (CA), combining reduced or no tillage, permanent soil cover, and...
