161836 20251017144554.0 doi 10.3390/su17135949 sideral 144525 ART-2025-144525 eng Quintana-Esteras, Silvia Universidad de Zaragoza Short-Term Effects of Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) Cover Crop on Soil Quality in a Maize Production System 2025 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Soil health is vital for food security and ecosystem services supporting climate change mitigation. Cover crops (CCs) improve soil quality and crop yields in intensive agriculture This study assessed the impact of Sinapis alba L. as a CC on ten physical, chemical, and biological soil indicators before maize planting. Three management systems were compared: (i) CC with conventional tillage (CT), (ii) CC under no tillage (NT), and (iii) tilled fallow without CC (TF). Measurements were taken at 60 and 90 days after sowing (DAS) at 0–6 and 0–20 cm depths. The Soil Quality Index (SQI) was higher at the surface under NT (0.69 at 60 DAS; 0.65 at 90 DAS). At 0–20 cm, SQI values increased at 90 DAS but did not differ among treatments. TF also showed improvements (up to +18% at 0–20 cm). Dissolved organic matter increased significantly (1.7–2.5 times), especially under NT and CT. NT enhanced structural stability (+70%) and reduced bulk density (−47%). All glomalin fractions decreased at 90 DAS; however, NT retained higher concentrations of recalcitrant glomalin in the 0–6 cm layer compared to the other treatments. These findings highlight S. alba under no tillage as a promising strategy to improve soil quality, though long-term studies are needed. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Martí Dalmau, Clara Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-0630-1181 Ortiz Perpiñá, Oriol (orcid)0000-0003-3516-5756 Badia Villas, David Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-1006-5030 2008 700 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali. Área Producción Animal 5011 705 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural Área Producción Vegetal 5011 240 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. CC.Agrar.y Medio Natural Área Edafología y Quím.Agríco. 17, 5949 (2025), 1-23 Sustainability (Basel) Sustainability (Switzerland) 2071-1050 3494958 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/161836/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2431157 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/161836/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:161836 articulos driver 2025-10-17-14:12:45 ARTICLE