Function
Soil decompactor — species for syntropic systems
Biological subsoilers break dense layers with vigorous taproots. Useful when starting over degraded pasture; the root that dies becomes a channel for water and organic matter.
9 species in the catalog · Refine this list in the catalog
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century plant
Agave americana
Placenta I Ground cover Mulch biomassPivotal species of the accumulation phase on exhausted soils. Rebello describes its use in Chapada dos Veadeiros: planted at 20 cm spacing on near-...
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jack bean
Canavalia ensiformis
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual nitrogen-fixing legume with strong soil-decompacting and weed-suppressing ability. Explicitly cited by Pasini among Accumulation-system spec...
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vetiver
Chrysopogon zizanioides
Placenta II Low Mulch biomassPerennial grass with deep vertical roots (up to 4 m), originally from India. The Bosque de Niebla Guidebook recommends vetiver as a hedgerow specie...
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common chicory
Cichorium intybus
Placenta I Medium No biomass productionBitter perennial leafy green with deep taproots — an excellent soil decompactor. Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3. Leaves used in ...
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sunn hemp
Crotalaria juncea
Placenta I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual green-manure legume, fixes up to ~450 kg N/ha, ideal for the Placenta I phase. Breaks nematode cycles and contributes large amounts of ferti...
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guadua
Guadua angustifolia
Secondary I Emergent Mulch biomassA woody clumping bamboo native to Central and South America, regarded as the finest structural bamboo of the Americas. It forms straight, strong cu...
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velvet bean
Mucuna pruriens
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual climbing legume that fixes nitrogen (~180–220 kg N/ha) and produces dense cover biomass. Suppresses weeds, decompacts the soil, and is one o...
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radish
Raphanus sativus
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionUltra-short-cycle brassica (25–35 days). Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3 (grown as a low-stratum species). Excellent for rotating...
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fodder radish
Raphanus sativus var. oleiferus
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomassSpecific Raphanus cultivar for green manure. Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3. Taproot breaks through compacted layers; sulfur- an...
❓ Frequently asked questions
What does "Soil decompactor" mean in syntropic agriculture?
Species with strong taproots that break through compacted soil layers and create channels for water, air, and the roots of other plants. When they die or are cut, their decomposing roots leave lasting galleries in the soil.
Which catalog species are tagged Soil decompactor?
The catalog holds 9 species, among them century plant, jack bean, vetiver. Each profile shows stratum, succession stage, and the management data, with sources cited.