Mulching techniques can comprise a solution that better utilizes precipitation and irrigation water in such a manner that mitigates soil degradation and drought damage; however, there are still gaps in the literature with regard to the effect of the use of mulch materials on the development of plant–soil–microbe interactions. Waste fibers, as alternative biodegradable mulch materials, are becoming increasingly prominent. The effect of wool mulch (WM) on water use efficiency, with regard to pepper seedlings, was investigated in different soil types (sand, clay loam, peat) in a pot experiment. Two semi-field experiments were also set up to investigate the effect of WM–plant interactions on sweet pepper yields, as compared with agro textiles and straw mulches. Soil parameters (moisture, temperature, DHA, β-glucosidase enzymes, permanganate-oxidizable carbon) were measured during the growing season. The effect of WM on yield and biomass was more significant with the less frequent irrigation and the greater water-holding capacity of soils. Microbiological activity was significantly higher in the presence of plants, and because of the water retention of WM, the metabolic products of roots and the more balanced soil temperature were caused by plants. In the sandy soil, the straw mulch had a significantly better effect on microbiological parameters and yields than the agro textiles and WM. In soils with a higher water capacity, WM is a sustainable practice for improving the biological parameters and water use efficiency of soil. The effect of WM on yields cannot solely be explained by the water retention of the mulch; indeed, the development of biological activity and plant–soil–microbe interactions in the soil are also contributing factors.

As a result of climate change, the frequency of droughts across Europe is showing an increasing trend. The solution to this problem can be various soil cover techniques, which help to preserve soil moisture and soil biological activity, thereby increasing crop yield. In our research, we examined how different mulch materials affect the regulation of soil moisture and the microbiological activity of the soil. The experiments were set up on two sites: a sandy soil with a low soil organic matter content (Királyhalom, Serbia) and an coarse loamy soil with a higher water capacity (Thessaloniki, Greece). The treatments were set up in 4 repetitions with pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.). Daily intensive irrigation with wool mulch, agrotextile, straw mulch and control treatments was used on the Serbian site. The irrigation was carried out every 6 days at the Greek site, where the treatments were as follows: wool mulch with plants, wool mulch without plants, plants without mulch and the control without plants. The yield was measured, and the moisture content, β-glucosidase activity and active (permanganate oxidizable) carbon content of the soils at the time of sampling were examined every 2 weeks. In the Serbian area, wool mulch showed significantly lower β-glucosidase activity compared to the other treatments. This was presumably due to the good water absorption capacity of the wool mulch and the fact that the soil could not aerate in addition to the intensive irrigation, thus the enzyme activity decreased. All mulch treatments increased the active carbon content compared to the untreated control, with the straw mulch to the greatest extent. In the extensively irrigated Greek soil, β-glucosidase was significantly higher in pepper plots covered with wool mulch compared to the control area without plants, but also higher compared to pepper plots not covered with wool mulch. The higher yield results measured on the mulched plots indicate that, in addition to water retention, biological activity also plays a major role in the development of yields. The effect of each mulching method on soil biological activity depends on the degradability of the mulch material, the frequency of irrigation, and the soil's water-holding capacity.

Soil fauna is crucial for carbon cycling, controlling organic matter decomposition and contributing to ecosystem services ^1–7 . Soil microarthropods are top-down regulators in the decomposer food web and serve as fundamental indicators of soil health. Yet, routine field-level monitoring remains restricted to resource-intensive research, leaving a critical gap in arable land management and policy. To address this, we developed Edapholog ^® extractor, a fully automated laboratory device that detects and identifies live soil microarthropods via real-time, AI-based image analysis, enabling taxonomic identification. Here, we demonstrate its accuracy across 319 arable fields spanning ten European countries. We show that computer vision can support ecological interpretation in arable systems and long-term studies on conservation tillage and cover cropping, offering a scalable tool for integrating soil biodiversity metrics into regenerative agriculture and carbon farming. We validated the system against classical taxonomy and found that across ∼35,000 microarthropod individuals, the device achieved an overall accuracy of 86%, sensitivity of 75%, and specificity of 99% compared to manual identifications. Community composition analyses revealed high similarities (83%), with minimal richness differences (7%) and low species replacement (13%) across countries, indicating that the AI does not introduce taxonomic bias. When applied in a long-term field experiment, the system detected significant taxon-specific responses to conservation tillage, with effect sizes ranging from 0.5 to 4. Total abundance, richness, and a soil biological health index were 39%, 47%, and 150% higher, respectively, under conservation tillage compared to conventional ploughing. These effects were statistically consistent between the automated and classical methods. However, while manual microscopy required several hours per sample, the AI-based system delivered immediate results without the need for taxonomic expertise. Edapholog ^® extractor offers exciting opportunities for rapid, scalable soil biodiversity monitoring for future sustainable land management.