Influence of Brachiaria Cover on Soil Organic Carbon and Soybean Productivity in Agricultural and Livestock Integration in Line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’S)

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the influence of brachiaria covers on soil organic carbon and soybean productivity and to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Theoretical Framework: The agricultural and livestock integration system consists of managing different production systems in the same area. Method: A three-year experiment was conducted at the FIA-UNE Minga Guazú experimental field. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates and 14 treatments, each consisting of a combination of corn plus B. ruziziensis, B. decumbens, or B. brizantha, followed by soybean sowing. Results and Discussion: For organic carbon T6 B. ruziziensis - Soybean - Soybean 2.95% and T11 Corn plus B. brizantha - B. brizantha - Soybean 2.90% registered increases in relation to organic carbon which at the beginning was 1.35%. For grain yield the lowest was T1 Corn-no crop-Soybean: 2338 Kg/ha and the highest T8 Corn plus B. decumbens - Soybean - Soybean 3053 Kg/ha, despite there being no significant differences. Research Implications: For organic carbon, increases were recorded in relation to the organic carbon at the beginning of the plot. Increasing grain yield by 30% generates significant interest when analyzing the cost-benefit ratio by producers, leaving a higher profit for those planted with B. decumbens cover crops of US$296.4/Ha and a profitability of 46%. Originality/Value: This study provides relevant information for soil organic carbon and soybean production, providing data that can be applied to brachiaria cover crop practices in agricultural and livestock integration, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).