## 2 Materials and Methods
### Research Design and Setup  
This study was conducted as part of continuing research initially set up in 2015 with different tillage measures and N fertilization. The results of the study in 2020 are shown in this manuscript. The research setup was carried out in a split plot arrangement under a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Tillage systems were kept in the main plot with N fertilizers (organic and inorganic) in subplots. Treatments were two tillage systems [(viz., conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT)] and four N fertilization methods [(e.g., no fertilizer (CK), inorganic N fertilization (N), organic N fertilization (M), and combined application of inorganic and organic N fertilization (NM)]. The tillage practices and N fertilization methods were arranged randomly, with a total of eight treatments and replicated thrice for each treatment for a total of 24 individual plots with a 24 m\({}^{2}\) area. The description of the experimental treatments is shown in Table 2. In the conventional tillage (CT) practice, soils were tilled at two different times by manual inversion with shovels to a depth of 20 cm; the first time was in October of the previous year and the second time in March just before wheat crop sowing, followed by planting. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Soil Property**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Soil Layer (cm)**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Measurement Method**} \\ \hline  & **0-10** & **10-20** & **20-40** & \\ \hline NO\({}_{3}\)–N (mg kg\({}^{-1}\)) & 25.72 & 25.77 & 25.88 & Colorimetric method \\ NH\({}_{4}\)*-N (mg kg\({}^{-1}\)) & 10.15 & 10.08 & 10.02 & Colorimetric method \\ TN (g kg\({}^{-1}\)) & 0.62 & 0.59 & 0.56 & Semimicro-Kjeldahl method \\ TP (mg kg\({}^{1}\)) & 0.44 & 0.41 & 0.38 & Colorimetric method \\ TK (g kg\({}^{-1}\)) & 18.47 & 18.52 & 18.40 & Colorimetric method \\ SOC (g kg\({}^{-1}\)) & 5.93 & 5.81 & 5.64 & Walkley-Black dichromate oxidation \\ C:N ratio & 9.56 & 9.84 & 10.07 & SOC/TN \\ pH & 8.37 & 8.40 & 8.44 & pH meter \\ SWC (\%) & 15.65 & 14.76 & 14.46 & Over-dry method \\ ECe (d8m\({}^{-1}\)) & 0.35 & 0.38 & 0.32 & EC meter \\ B.D (g cm\({}^{-3}\)) & 1.38 & 1.41 & 1.44 & Core sampler method \\ P (\%) & 47.92 & 46.79 & 45.66 & (1 \(-\) (B.D/P.D)) \(\times\) 100 equation \\ SWS (mm) & 21.59 & 41.62 & 83.28 & SWC \(\times\) BD \(\times\) d/pw \\ ST (\({}^{\circ}\)) & 6.40 & 6.22 & 6.04 & Geothermometer \\ Soil texture & Sandy-loam & & Hydrometer method \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Note: P.D: particle density = (2.65 g cm\({}^{-3}\)). pw: density of water; d: soil depth. The abbreviated words stand for NO\({}_{3}\)–N: nitrate nitrogen; NH\({}_{4}\)*-N: ammonium nitrogen; TN: total nitrogen; TP: total phosphorous; TK: total potassium; SOC: organic carbon; CN ratio: soil carbon and nitrogen ratio; pH: soil pH; ECe: electrical conductivity; B.D: soil bulk density; P: soil porosity; SWC: gravimetric soil water content; SWS: soil water storage; ST: soil temperature.  
\end{table} 
Table 1: Physicochemical quality indicators of the pre-planting initial tested soil in 2020. Figure 2: Daily average temperature and rainfall during the spring wheat crop cycle in 2020. Nevertheless, in the no-tillage (NT) practice, crop stubbles (30%) were returned to the field in August of the previous year and planting was done with a no-crop planter. These tillage practices were implemented onto the main plots. The sub-plots were allocated to four N fertilizer treatments including organic and inorganic N fertilization methods. In the CK plots, no fertilization was done; however, in the inorganic N fertilized (N) plots, the N was applied in the form of urea at the rate of 105 kg N ha\({}^{-1}\)y\({}^{-1}\). For the organic N fertilized (M) plots, farmyard manure was applied as a N source at the rate of 105 kg N ha\({}^{-1}\)y\({}^{-1}\).