**10. Tillage as a tool for modification of soil ecology and modification in soil environment—a case study**

The adoption of effective tillage practices is an essential requirement for the long-term maintenance of soil health and the optimization of crop production [43]. Conservation tillage (no tillage, reduced, and strip) increases soil microbial activity, moisture content of the soil, organic matter, stability of aggregates, cation exchange capacity, and crop production [44, 45]. The impact of tillage practices on soil chemical and physical properties, as well as the quality of fruits and crop yield, as documented by some studies conducted in watermelon and rice-maize cropping systems [46, 47]. By increasing plant water usage efficiency and decreasing irrigation water and labor use compared to traditional farming, conservation tillage, which makes use of permanent beds and strip tillage, has the potential to boost farmers' net income and benefit–cost ratio. In their experiment, Kaisi et al. [48] discovered that tillage intensity greatly decreased soil macro- and microaggregate stability. Soil organic matter rose by 0.17% and soil accessible P by 3.8% in the topsoil (0–20 cm) when conservation tillage procedures were used instead of conventional tillage [49]. Maintaining crop residues on the top soil surface layer (full cover, no till; partial cover, strip tillage) can also reduce soil erosion and increase soil moisture content [50, 51]. Nevertheless, there is ongoing debate regarding the impact of different tillage practices, including conservation and conventional methods, on soil microorganisms and physical properties. The utilization of conservation tillage practices has been observed to result in an increase in the abundance of microorganisms in the soil crop system, though the amount of effectiveness is outlined by several ecological factors and field conditions [52, 53]. A 10-year study on the effects of different tillage methods on tomato yields indicated that conventional tillage (moldboard plow) resulted in 52% fewer nematodes than conservation strip tillage [54]. The

fall measurements of nematode population composition in a strip tillage field revealed the following: 1900 bacterivorous, 40 fungivorous, 283 omnivorous, 37 predatory, and 1869 root-feeding (plant parasitic) worms. Moldboard plow soil had a total of 407 bacterivores, 67 omnivores, 14 predators, and 350 root-feeding nematodes, but no fungivores were found. However, the presence of nematodes does not always indicate that the soil is healthy or functioning well. For instance, in comparison to conventional tillage, strip tillage resulted in significant increases of total bacteria (49 percent), active bacteria (27 percent), active and total fungi (37 percent), and total nematodes (275 percent) [55]. In contrast to conventional tillage, strip tillage has been demonstrated in the same study to increase (9-fold) root-feeding nematodes (harmful to plant roots) and lower (possibly) soil nutrient content (P and NO3 − -N) [56]. Nematode feeding behavior and reproductive rate, both of which react rapidly to changes in the rhizosphere, may be a potent reason to this. Nematodes benefit more from conservation tillage because it promotes the growth of more beneficial microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) than conventional methods. Higher weed pressure management is a major drawback of conservation tillage approaches, especially no-tillage systems [57]. Soil bulk density and compaction (increased penetrometer resistance) can also increase in no-till conditions. By contrast, conventional tillage procedures improve soil structure by increasing air and water circulation, reducing compaction, and alleviating weed pressure, while also incorporating crop leftovers and nutrients [58]. Over relatively short periods of time, tillage causes substantial biophysical and biochemical changes. Direct effects on creatures include death, injury, or exposure to predators, in addition to the indirect effects of habitat destruction (**Figure 1**). Alterations in the tillage regime can impact the predominance of certain species, the number of populations, and the diversity of communities in the soil.
