Long-term conservation tillage results in a more balanced soil microbiological activity and higher nutrient supply capacity

Summary

Soil health depletion due to intensive tillage operations is a global issue in the agricultural sector. Conservation tillage (CT) which involves non-inversion tillage and leaving ∼30% of the soil surface covered with crop residues, is a strategy designed to enhance soil health. However, no comprehensive study to investigate the long-term effect of CT on soil biological activity and the soil nutrient supply has yet been widely carried out. Biological and chemical soil properties were assessed at depths 0–5, 10–15, and 20–25 cm depths after 18 years of CT and conventional tillage practice (PT). Various stages in the vegetative growth of maize were investigated in 2021 in Hungary. The findings indicated that tillage intensity, soil depth, and growth stages all significantly influenced soil en