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In tropical regions with well‐defined wet and dry seasons, repeated wetting and drying cycles can harden exposed soils and inhibit root growth. While this phenomenon has been well documented, the relationships between plant productivity and chemical and physical soil parameters have not been well defined. The current study identifies the abiotic parameters that best relate to measures of plant development, specifically to corn productivity. The primary goal of this research was to provide information to improve agricultural sustainability in humid tropical ecosystems. The effects of using plant residues as a cover on a sandy soil were studied. Four leguminous species were planted in an alley cropping system, Leucaena leucocephala, Cajanus cajan, Clitoria fairchildiana and Acacia mangium, and corn was planted in January 2007 between legume rows. We measured the most important chemical and physical …