{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:35:30Z","timestamp":1760060130738,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,31]],"date-time":"2025-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753920000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"R&amp;D Unit CIQUP","award":["UIDB\/000081\/2020","LA\/P\/0056\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/000081\/2020","LA\/P\/0056\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Associated Laboratory IMS","award":["UIDB\/000081\/2020","LA\/P\/0056\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/000081\/2020","LA\/P\/0056\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Environments"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Mozambique soils are known for having an unbalanced agronomic and environmental composition that results in poor agricultural production yields. However, agriculture is the main economic activity of Mozambique, and soils must be characterised for their elemental deficiencies and\/or excesses. This paper sampled nine farms from the Manica and Sussundenga districts (Manica province) in three campaigns in 2021\/2022, 2022\/2023, and 2023\/2024 (before and after the rainy seasons). They were subjected to a physical\u2013chemical analysis to assess their quality from the fertility and environmental contamination point of view. Attending to the physical\u2013chemical properties analysed, and for all the soils and sampling campaigns, a low concentration below the limit of detection for B of &lt;0.2 mg\/Kg for the majority of soils and a low concentration of Al &lt; 0.025 mg\/Kg for all the soils were obtained. Also, higher concentrations for the majority of soils for the Ca between 270 and 1634 mg\/Kg, for the Mg between 41 and 601 mg\/Kg, for the K between 17 and 406 mg\/Kg, for the Mn between 13.6 and 522 mg\/Kg, for the Fe between 66.3 and 243 mg\/Kg, and for the P between &lt;20 and 132 mg\/Kg were estimated. In terms of texture and for the sand, a high percentage between 6.1 and 79% was found. In terms of metal concentrations and for all the soils of the Sussundenga district and sampling campaigns, a concentration above the reference value concentration for the Cr (76\u20131400 mg\/Kg) and a concentration below the reference value concentration for the Pb (5\u201319 mg\/Kg), Ba (13\u2013120 mg\/Kg) and for the Zn (10\u201361 mg\/Kg) were evaluated. A multivariate data analysis methodology was used based on cluster and discriminant analysis. The analysis of twenty-three physical\u2013chemical variables of the soils suggested four clusters of soils characterised by deficiencies and excess elements that must be corrected to improve the yield and quality of agricultural production. Moreover, the multivariate analysis of the metal composition of soil samples from the second and third campaigns, before and after the rainy season, suggested five clusters with a pristine composition and different metal pollutant compositions and concentrations. The information obtained in this study allows for the scientific comprehension of agricultural soil quality, which is crucial for designing agronomic and environmental corrective measures to improve food quality and quantity in the Manica and Sussundenga districts and ensure environmental, social, and economic sustainability.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/environments12080265","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,4]],"date-time":"2025-08-04T11:54:51Z","timestamp":1754308491000},"page":"265","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Classification of Agricultural Soils in Manica and Sussundenga (Mozambique)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"M\u00e1rio J. S. L.","family":"Pereira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Ci\u00eancias Naturais e Matem\u00e1tica, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias e Tecnologias, Universidade Licungo, P.O. BOX 2025, Beira 2100, Mozambique"},{"name":"Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9904-7751","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o M. M.","family":"Leit\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), P\u00f3lo das Ci\u00eancias da Sa\u00fade Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pharmacy Faculty, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8478-3441","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joaquim Esteves da","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Institute of Molecular Sciences (IMS), Department of Geosciences, Environment and Territorial Planning, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s\/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"907","DOI":"10.1038\/ngeo2591","article-title":"The self-reinforcing feedback between low soil fertility and chronic poverty","volume":"8","author":"Barrett","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nat. 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