Slash/mulch
The contents of a bag of commercial fertilizer is described in terms of NPK -nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K); with nitrogen being the main component of most commercial fertilizers.
Oxygen is only a small part of the air; the largest component of air is nitrogen. Nitrogen is the main building block of protein; muscle in mammals and plant tissue in plants. If the level of nitrogen in the soil is increased, plant growth can be significantly increased. Legumes are a group of plants that interact with bacteria (rhizobia) in the soil to fix nitrogen from the air, and deposit the nitrogen into the soil where it is available for other plants to use. The nitrogen deposited by legumes can be readily converted into larger harvests.
Green manures are plants grown to improve the soil, suppress weeds, limit erosion, and — when legumes are used — to increase the nitrogen content of the soil. The most common type of green manure used in the tropics is Velvet bean. It produces a thick blanket of vines and leaves that in addition to infusing the soil with nitrogen also smother most weeds. In addition it has reasonable tolerance to drought, low soil fertility, and highly acidic soil. Alternatives to the Velvet bean include the Lablab bean, the Jack bean, and for use above 500 m altitude, the Scarlet runner bean.
Once the blanket is several centimeters thick, it is chopped down with a machete, and the vines are chopped up. This produces thick mulch on top of the ground that both inhibits weed growth and adds vital nutrients to the soil. Corn or other crops are then planted directly into this mulch.
Slash/mulch is popular in southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras; and in recent years has gained a following in many areas of the tropics, from Brazil to central Africa. Where it has been embraced it has pushed aside slash and burn agriculture, and allowed farmers to utilize the same land continuously for many years.
Cornell University has taken a leading role in researching the effects of mulches and slash/mulch practices in the tropics.
Read more about this topic: Tropical Agriculture