Tamaulipas soil fertility loss threatens agricultural productivity

The Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (UAT) has warned that declining soil fertility in northern Tamaulipas poses a significant threat to agricultural productivity and food security. Vicente Saldívar Alonso, director of the Faculty of Agronomy, stated that intensive farming, drought, and high salinity are transforming biologically active soils into compacted surfaces that rely heavily on external inputs.

While some areas dedicated to sorghum and maize may not be completely exhausted, they lack the necessary nutrients to sustain traditional production. A chemical imbalance caused by arid conditions and irrigation with hard water is accumulating salts on the surface, which blocks the absorption of essential nutrients such as phosphorus, zinc, boron, and magnesium.

To mitigate these effects, experts suggest several management alternatives, including the use of secondary crops to improve soil quality, implementing zero-tillage practices to preserve soil structure and moisture, and conducting detailed soil analyses to design specific nutrient replenishment strategies.