Short-term effects of conservation tillage and canola cover crop on selected biological indicators of soil quality and sunflower yield in Dastjerd, Hamedan

Assessing biological indicators of soil quality is crucial to evaluation of ecological sustainability of agroecosystem. This study aimed at assessing the effects of four years of different tillage practices (no tillage, minimum tillage and conventional tillage) with and without canola cover crop on selected biological indicators of soil quality and sunflower yield in Dastjerd, Hamedan; A randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement and three replications was conducted. All the measured properties, including soil organic carbon, available P, basal microbial respiration, protease and phosphatase activity and sunflower seed yield were significantly (P