Conservation agriculture boosts soil quality in South Africa's Eastern Cape.
Conservation agriculture strategies were studied in South Africa to see how they affect soil quality. The researchers looked at different ways of tilling the soil, rotating crops, and managing crop residues. They found that the way the soil is tilled has a big impact on its health, more than the crop rotation or residue management. Soil biological properties like organic carbon and microbial activity were most affected by these strategies. Overall, the study showed that tillage practices have a significant short-term effect on soil quality in the area studied.