Effects of tillage and residue incorporation on composition and abundance of microbial communities of a fluvo-aquic soil

• No tillage improved microbial communities in a fluvo-aquic soil of central China.
• 100% residue significantly affected some soil properties and microbial communities.
• No tillage and 100% residue had interaction effect on soil microbial communities.

This article studied the effects of tillage and no tillage and their combinations with different residue incorporation levels (0%, 50% and 100%) on soil properties and microbial communities in a fluvo-aquic soil. The purpose was to find a promising farming practice for improving the soil fertility and microbial communities of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of central China. Surface soils were sampled from a long-term field experimental site. The soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), total nitrogen (TN), and bacterial and fungal abundance and diversity were analyzed by chemical and molecular methods. No-tillage treatment had positive effects on MBC, MBC/SOC, bacterial abundance and soil bacterial and fungal diversity and inhibited the pathogens such as Cochliobolus lunatus as compared with the conventional tillage. 100% residue incorporation had positive effects on SOC, C/N ratio, pH, bacterial abundance and soil bacterial and fungal diversity, and benefited Filobasidium floriforme. The interaction of no tillage and 100% residue incorporation could increase bacterial abundance and diversity and fungal diversity. The treatment of no tillage with 100% residue incorporation may be a promising farming practice for improving the soil fertility and microbial communities of the fluvo-aquic soil in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of central China.