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Pyrus pyrifolia is a common temperate fruit crop cultivated in Southern Brazil for fruit production. Although this plant species is found in several Brazilian states (Paraná, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul), it is predominantly concentrated in the smallholder farming system in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Our aim was to compare the soil biota community composition, soil chemical properties, and soil quality in two adjacent stands with different ages. Within each stand, we analysed the influence of four organic residue management practices. Our results indicated that both studied stands, influenced by different organic residue management practices, exhibited differences in soil biota community composition, soil chemical properties, and soil quality. Acaridae, Araneidae, Blattidae, Halictophagidae, and Opiliones were the main contributors, explaining 78.08% of the variance in the data. The 16‐year‐old stand, with compost utilization, displayed a high biodiversity of soil organisms, average soil chemical properties, and the highest values of soil quality, creating a habitat for predators and providing energy for litter transformers and ecosystem engineers in subtropical Acrisol. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the influence of old stands on soil biota community composition, soil chemical properties, ecosystem homeostasis, herbivory pressure, and prey‐predation relationships. This, in turn, may enhance interest in establishing new management plans for Pyrus pyrifolia stands in commercial orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic residues management (ORM) alter plant traits and soil properties by changing nutrient and carbon cycling. It is unclear how ORM (mulching, compost, and their combination) applied for 18 months creates a mechanism to promote changes in a P. pyrifolia field. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of ORM on P. pyrifolia nutritional status, plant traits, yield, and carbon sequestration in a 16-year subtropical P. pyrifolia field. For this purpose, we performed an experiment in a randomized block design, using a factorial scheme 2 × 2, with the use of Compost and Mulching (e.g., presence and absence). The highest values of leaves N content, plant height, stem biomass, root biomass, total biomass, yield, and above- and belowground carbon (C) density were found on plots that received compost as the ORM. For soil organic C stock, the highest values were found on plots where mulching was applied. Finally, the highest values of total C density were found on plots that received the combination of Mulching and Compost. Our findings suggest that: (i) the use of Compost is the best alternative to promote leaves N content, plant height, stem dry biomass, root dry biomass, and total dry biomass, plant yield, and above- and belowground C density into a 16-year P. pyrifolia field into subtropical conditions; and (ii) the soil organic C stocks were improved using just the mulching treatment. The results highlight the importance of considering just one organic residue practice based on a sustainable way to improve both plant production and carbon sequestration, no differences were found between the use of compost and the combination of compost and mulching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]