Effects of Conservation Tillage Practices on Soil Microbial Diversity and Enzymatic Activity

Abstract

Due to intensive agriculture, increasingly large areas are becoming degraded and unsuitable for agricultural purposes. Therefore, soil restoration is a critical task. Various soil-saving tillage technologies, which minimize damage and promote the accumulation of organic matter in the soil, are attracting increasing attention. This paper presents the results of a comparative study of the preservation and improvement of soil microbiomes under various tillage methods, using soils from fields in a farming cluster in the Kibray district of Tashkent region as an example. It was shown that no-tillage increases both the total number of microorganisms and those involved in the nitrogen cycle, which is important for plant growth and development. Increases in humus content (1.7%) and the activity of phosphatase and urease enzymes, as well as the ratio of polyphenol oxidase to peroxidase, were also observed. It is known that there is a direct relationship between the physicochemical and ecological state of the fertile soil layer and its microbiota, which in turn determines the enzymatic activity of soils due to the vital activity of microorganisms. It has been shown that creating favorable conditions for the normal functioning of the microbial community contributes to increased soil enzymatic activity, activating the microbial community and, consequently, improving agricultural efficiency, fertility, and crop yields. A comparative assessment of the qualitative and quantitative composition of the microbiome in agricultural soils will enable the development of recommendations for the rational application of environmental technologies in the agro-industrial complex.