The goal of the research was to investigate soil plough layer quality status and changes on Endocalcari-Epihypogleyic Cambisol in the Middle Lowland of Lithuania by applying different long-term soil management systems.

The results revealed that the tillage method, the intensity and level of fertilisation on Endocalcari-Epihypogleyic Cambisol must be determined according to soil texture and the degree of a possible influence of these contributors on soil quality changes. The duration of a tillage system practical application (reduced tillage or direct drilling) should be motivated by soil physical and chemical properties. Soil tillage-fertilisation systems should be replaced by another one, if the soil quality index value has reduced.

At the 8th year of field trials, the total SQI value did not differ essentially in conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and direct drilling (NT) in loam soil (soil rich in macronutrients (PK) and moderately rich in humus), while in sandy loam soil (soil moderately rich in macronutrients (PK) and poor in humus) in the direct drilling system the SQI value was significantly lower compared to CT and RT.

After 8 years since the different soil management systems have been used, the best SQI_chemical for the 0–20 cm soil layer in the 1st (loam, rich in macronutrients (PK) and moderately rich in humus) field trial was determined when the following management systems were implemented: reduced tillage + not fertilised; reduced tillage + moderate rates: NPK fertilisers according to soil properties and expected yield; direct drilling + moderate rates. SQI_chemical for the 0–20 cm soil layer in the 2nd (sandy loam, moderately rich in macronutrients (PK) and poor in humus) field trial was registered to be similar whatever the tillage system and their combination with either moderate or high rates of NPK fertilisers applied.

Over the 8 years of applying different tillage systems, the best SQI_physical in the 0–20 cm soil layer was determined by managing the conventional tillage system.

Keywords: multifunctional properties, tillage, fertilisation, soil quality indexing