Objective This study investigates the effects of traditional tillage and smash-ridging tillage on soil aggregate stability and its stoichiometric characteristics in paddy soil, thereby providing a theoretical basis for optimizing tillage practices and enhancing soil quality in paddy ecosystems. Methods Typical paddy soil from Guangxi was used as the study subject, and two treatments—traditional tillage (CK) and smash-ridging tillage (FL)—were established. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from the surface layer (0—15 cm) to determine the basic soil physicochemical properties. Soil water-stable aggregates were separated into four particle size fractions (>2 mm, 0.25~2 mm, 0.053~0.25 mm, and <0.053 mm) using the wet sieving method, and their distribution characteristics and stability indicators (mean weight diameter, MWD; geometric mean diameter, GMD; fractal dimension, D) were analyzed. The contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) were determined in bulk soil and aggregates of different particle size fractions, along with their stoichiometric ratios (C∶N∶P). Results Compared with the CK treatment, the FL treatment increased the proportion of macroaggregate (> 0.25 mm) by 16.05%, and increased MWD and GMD by 32% and 40.91%, respectively, while decreasing D by 1.44%. Under the FL treatment, SOC and TN contents in the bulk soil increased by 14.85% and 10.9%, respectively, but TP content was reduced by 8%, and the increments of SOC and TN were particularly evident in the macroaggregates. In terms of stoichiometric characteristics, the FL treatment reduced the C∶P and N∶P ratios in bulk soil by 42.15% and 44.18%, respectively, but significantly increased the C∶P and N∶P ratios in macroaggregates. Pearson correlation analysis showed that aggregate stability indicators were significantly or highly significantly positively correlated with nutrient factors such as SOC, TN, and TP, while they were significantly or highly significantly negatively correlated with the C∶P and N∶P ratios. Conclusion Smash-ridging tillage effectively promotes the formation of macroaggregates in paddy soil, enhances aggregate stability, increases soil nutrient contents, and optimizes the distribution and stoichiometric ratios of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus across different aggregate fractions. The study demonstrates that aggregate stability is a key link connecting tillage practices and soil nutrient cycling. In conclusion, smash-ridging tillage is a tillage practice that improves soil structure suitable for promotion and application in paddy ecosystems of southern China.
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