Straw returning improved soil quality and microbial diversity in the <i>kiwifruit</i> orchard, which was degraded by long‐term cultivation

Abstract Perennial planting of kiwifruit can easily lead to soil quality deterioration. To mitigate the negative effects of long‐term kiwi cultivation on the soil, spring wheat straw is used to return to the field. The results showed that the longer the duration of straw returning to the field, the more pronounced the effect on soil quality improvement. The contents of SOM, AP, TN, and Alkaline‐N were significantly higher in the Y10 plot (10‐year‐old kiwifruit plot) than in the Y1 plot (1‐year‐old kiwifruit plot) and the Y6 plot (6‐year‐old kiwifruit plot). The contents of these nutrients are 189.16%, 110.91%, 98.65% and 41.03% higher than Y1, respectively. Straw returning increased soil nutrients and enzyme activities (S‐NP, S‐SC and S‐CL) and reduced soil acidification. Straw‐returning treatment also enriched beneficial microbial groups (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Streptophyta, Mucoromycota, etc.) and changed functional groups and cellulolysis related to environmental stress. PLS‐PM analysis showed that the years of straw returning to the field affected soil microorganisms' composition and functional adaptability by affecting soil nutrients and enzyme activities. These findings provide a feasible way to solve the problem of soil quality damage caused by long‐term planting of kiwifruit .