The Tradeoff between Maintaining Maize (Zea mays L.) Productivity and Improving Soil Quality under Conservation Tillage Practice in Semi-Arid Region of Northeast China

Conservation tillage has received strong support globally to achieve food security and minimize environmental impacts. However, there are comprehensive debates on whether it can the synergy between maintaining crop yields improving soil quality. To this end, a field experiment under continuous maize (Zea mays L.) cropping was conducted in northeast China. The treatment included rotary with straw removal (CK, conventional tillage) tillage, subsoiling no retention (CR, CS, CN, respectively). Maize yield set of physio-chemical indicators relation quality were measured during 2017 2021. Results showed that CN significantly reduced by 24.9%, 23.1%, 19.5% average compared CR, CK, CS treatments, respectively. increased ratio >2 mm aggregates geometric mean diameter (GMD) 0–20 cm layer those CK CR treatments. treatments had higher bulk density compaction Soil organic carbon total nitrogen than 5.1–15.0% 8.5–15.7%, whereas NH4+ lower 9.1–13.9% correspondingly. also temperature early-growth stage maize. Importance analysis indicated temperature, density, available key factors affecting yield. Overall, mulching could improve stability fertility but Alternatively, minimum (e.g., might be suitable practice as maintains improves practices semi-arid region China short term.