Strategic management of crop residues is essential to enhance soil quality for sustainable agriculture. However, little is known about the specific amounts of crop residues needed to improve soil quality characteristics which are key to develop economic plans. In this study, we investigated the effects of applying crop residue at five rates, including 100% (R₁₀₀), 75% (R₇₅), 50% (R₅₀), 25% (R₂₅), and 0% (R₀), on wheat yield and soil properties. Field experiments were conducted for two cropping seasons in a wheat-corn rotation under conventional (CT) and no-till (NT) systems to observe the first results obtained during short-term periods (one-year application). During the study, the wheat and corn fields were irrigated. Application of plant residue resulted in increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and available nutrients and improved soil physical properties, i.e., aggregates mean weight diameter in wet (MWDw) and dry (MWD_d) conditions, water-stable aggregates (WSA), dry-stable aggregates, (DSA), soil water infiltration (SWI), soil available water (SAW), and yield of wheat and corn. The effects were stronger at higher residue application rates. In the CT system, compared to R₀, R₁₀₀ resulted in the highest increase equal to 38, 29, 23, 34, 35, 41, and 11% for SOC, MWDw, MWD_d, WSA, DSA, SAW, and wheat grain yield, respectively. This was equivalent to 28, 19.5, 19, 37, 44, 52, and 6% for the NT system, respectively. Generally, the NT system resulted in a stratification of the soil properties within 0–10 cm compared to 10–20 cm soil depth, but a uniform distribution for both depths under CT system. Overall, these results show that crop residue application can improve soil quality and yield in cereal production systems under semi-arid conditions during the first year of application. It will be key to monitor these changes in along-term field studies.

At present, the role of agricultural practices on the dynamic of GHGs is being investigated worldwide. In this study, the effects of soil tillage practices (conventional vs. conservation techniques) and fertilization sources (inorganic vs. organic) on soil CO₂ emissions in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)–potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) rotation in the Mediterranean area were evaluated. This study aimed to understand the changes in the soil carbon content and the soil CO₂ emissions under different soil tillage practices (moldboard plow (P), subsoiler (R), and spading machine (S)) and fertilization sources (mineral (M) and organic (O) with municipal organic waste). Soil CO₂ flux, soil water content, and soil temperature data were collected for both crops using a portable closed-chamber infrared gas dynamics system. Significant relationships were detected between soil CO₂ emissions and soil temperate and soil water content. However, these relationships were found only for durum wheat crops. Our findings indicate that including sustainable agricultural practices in wheat–potato rotation system could act as an appropriate alternative option to increase soil organic carbon, mitigate CO₂ emissions, and reduce the dependence on chemical inputs and energy.

Mitigating yield-scaled greenhouse gas emissions (YSE) is beneficial for enhancing crop yield, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and advancing climate-smart agronomic management practices. This study aims to evaluate the impact of different crop residue rates– 100% (R100), 50% (R50), and residue removal (R0) – on the YSE indicator within a maize-wheat cropping rotation under both conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) systems in a semi-arid region. In the NT system, crop residues had a notable effect on the YSE indicator for wheat. Specifically, R0 exhibited a 39% and 20% decrease in YSE for wheat compared to R100 and R50, respectively. Interestingly, crop residue did not significantly influence YSE for maize under the NT system. On the other hand, in the CT system, YSE for maize in R0 was 33% and 25% lower than that in R100 and R50, respectively. Additionally, compared to R0, there were observed increases of 28% and 20% in YSE for wheat in R100 and R50 under the CT system, respectively. Our findings show that crop residue removal decreases YSE under both CT and NT systems. However, given that this practice degrades soil quality and results in lower yields, it is not considered a sustainable management practice compared to residue retention options. This research highlights the importance of evaluating GHG mitigation strategies by concurrently considering both emissions and crop production. Nevertheless, it is essential to conduct off-site assessments of GHG emissions from crop residue application and also engage in long-term studies to comprehend the full potential of crop residue management on YSE.

Green manuring may improve soil properties, but its effects on crop productivity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain poorly understood in rainfed semiarid systems. This study evaluated oat ( Avena sativa L.) as green manure on soil properties, GHG emissions, and lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.) yield in a rainfed semiarid cropping system in western Iran. A field experiment was conducted in 2021 and 2022 evaluating four oat biomass incorporation rates (0, 2, 4, and 8 Mg of dry weight ha ⁻¹ ). A randomized complete block design with four replications was employed. Oat biomass was incorporated prior to lentil sowing to a depth of 30 cm. Soil CO ₂ and N ₂ O fluxes were measured during lentil cultivation, while lentil yield, N uptake, and soil chemical properties were evaluated at harvesting. Regression analysis showed that soil organic carbon and total nitrogen increased linearly with oat biomass incorporation rate, while available water, aggregate stability, and grain yield showed quadratic responses, indicating improved soil functioning and crop productivity but with marginal gains at higher biomass rates. Lentil N uptake increased linearly with increasing oat biomass incorporation, confirming improved nutrient acquisition. Soil CO ₂ and N ₂ O emissions also increased with higher biomass inputs, although their responses varied between growing seasons. The principal component analysis indicated increasing oat biomass incorporation was associated with improvements in soil fertility and lentil performance, but also with greater GHG emissions. Overall, oat green manure improved soil fertility and lentil productivity under semiarid rainfed conditions, but residue management should be optimized to balance agronomic benefits with GHG trade‐offs.