Molecular Soil Biology 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 199-213 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/msb 2 02 but also improve the physical structure of soil, which helps to enhance soil erosion resistance and water retention capacity (Wang et al., 2024). Measures such as intercropping and organic mulching can also promote the restoration of soil structure and reduce structural degradation caused by monoculture cultivation. Figure 1 Experimental field preparation, tillage measures, and implementation effects (Adopted from Jiang et al., 2025) 4.2 Effects on soil bulk density and compaction Soil bulk density and compactness directly affect root growth and water vapor circulation. High intensity cultivation or long-term monoculture of corn can easily lead to soil compaction, increased bulk density, and thus limit root rooting and water infiltration. Measures such as deep loosening and tillage can effectively reduce soil bulk density, alleviate soil compaction, improve root distribution and crop growth environment (Ramadhan, 2021; Jiang et al., 2025). Under different cultivation methods, the soil bulk density of deep tillage and conventional tillage is significantly lower than that of no tillage and shallow tillage, and deep tillage helps to break the plow layer and improve the overall permeability of the soil (Ramadhan, 2021). Intercropping and cover crops can help reduce compaction. In subtropical Brazil, maize–ruzigrass intercropping lowered bulk density in the 10~20 cm layer by 10% and increased macroporosity (Secco et al., 2023). Returning straw to the field and applying organic mulch also add organic matter, help form aggregates, and further reduce compaction (Negiş, 2023; Wang et al., 2024). 4.3 Impact on water infiltration and retention capacity The ability of soil moisture infiltration and retention is an important indicator for measuring its physical health. High intensity cultivation and long-term monoculture of corn often lead to soil structure damage, reduced porosity, and thus affect water infiltration and storage. Research has found that protective tillage measures such as deep tillage combined with rotary tillage and no tillage can significantly improve soil water holding capacity and water use efficiency (Ramadhan, 2021; Wang et al., 2024; Jiang et al., 2025). Under straw mulching and organic mulching conditions, the evaporation of soil surface water decreases and the water retention capacity increases, which is beneficial for crop growth under drought stress (Ramadhan, 2021). A comparative study between long-term corn planting and grass rotation shows that corn monoculture can reduce soil available water capacity and near saturated hydraulic conductivity, especially in soil types that are susceptible
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