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Abstract
Despite the growing adoption of soil health practices, the integrated effects of these practices on key soil microbial composition and activity remain unknown. This study evaluated the impacts of reduced tillage (RT) and combinations of RT with cover crop (RTC), RTC and poultry litter (RTCA), and RTCA and biochar (RTCAB) against a conventional tillage (CT) on soil microbial community in a corn system in a two-year field study. Changes in microbial communities were characterized by measuring activity, abundance, and composition indicators. Shifts in microbial activity depended on corn growth stage and showed an increasing trend in response to integrating the practices. Similarly, bacterial alpha diversity showed an increasing trend over time under the integrated practices, while beta diversity revealed distinct microbial communities between RTCAB vs the rest. Overall, there was a clear trend towards a shift in soil microorganisms in response to integrating the various practices vs RT or CT.