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Soil resources are prone to degradation in harsh hill environment. Conservation tillage and residue mulching play an important role in protecting and improving soil quality. A 4-year study was conducted in Meghalaya, India, involving maize ( Zea mays L.)-rapeseed ( Brassica campestris L.) cropping system, to evaluate the impact of no till (NT) and mulching on productivity of maize-rapeseed system and to assess the effect of management on soil organic carbon (SOC) and quality. Two tillage practices, conventional tillage (CT) and NT, were compared under six mulching rates: control (no mulching); M, maize stover retention; MA5, M + ragweed (RW; Ambrosia artemisiifolia) 5 Mg ha−1; MA10, M + RW 10 Mg ha−1; MF10, M + farmyard manure 10 Mg ha−1; and MA5P5, M + RW 5 Mg ha−1 + poultry manure 5 Mg ha−1. Grain yields of maize and rapeseed under CT were similar to those under NT. Mulching had a significant effect on the productivity of maize and rapeseed. Mulching treatment MA5P5, MF10 and MA10 produced significantly ( p = 0·05) higher yield of maize and rapeseed than that of other treatments. Maize and rapeseed productivity under control was the lowest. There was a marked increase in SOC concentration (8·4%), water stable aggregates (9·3%), mean weight diameter (42·6%) and soil microbial biomass carbon (66·8%) under NT, with respect to CT. Mulching treatment MA5P5 enhanced mean SOC concentration by 30·4% and mean weight diameter by 100% compared with those under control. Thus, NT and mulching are recommended measures for protecting soil and improving its quality in the studied area. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]