Impact of different agricultural management practices on soil fertility in tomato crops under greenhouse conditions

Agricultural management practices, such as the use of organic amendments, synthetic fertilizers, and plastic mulching, have a significant impact on soil physicochemical and biological properties. However, knowledge regarding how these practices affect soil fertility and enzymatic activity under greenhouse conditions remains limited. This study was conducted during a single tomato growing season (within a single crop cycle, April–September 2021) in San Pablo Huitzo, Oaxaca, Mexico. Three management systems were compared: agroecological, conventional with mulching, and conventional without mulching. Soil properties were evaluated, approximately 15–20 days after the last fertilizer application. The conventional system without mulching exhibited the highest soil organic matter, organic carbon, and electrical conductivity, as well as elevated phosphorus and nitrogen levels, indicating a risk of nutrient over-accumulation. Enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, urease, β-glucosidase, phosphatase) and microbial respiration showed no significant differences among systems. This suggests that short-term management, within a single crop cycle, may not be sufficient to induce measurable shifts in biological indicators. The absence of mulching and inappropriate irrigation may favor salt accumulation, highlighting the need for integrated management strategies that include balanced fertilization, optimized irrigation, and mulching to prevent salinity and nutrient excess. Future studies integrating yield and baseline soil data will strengthen the agronomic relevance of these findings. These results underscore the importance of tailoring soil management practices to enhance productivity while mitigating environmental risks and reinforce the need to adopt sustainable strategies that safeguard long-term soil health. • A combination of organic amendments with mineral fertilization enhanced SOM. • Evaluated practices were not intensive or long enough to alter biological indicators. • Mulching contributes to regulating salinity. • Management systems mainly affect soil chemical traits like nutrients and salinity.