Raw data of an experiment to assess the effect of plant residue size, quality, and diversity, applied as mulch, on soil nutrient dynamics, on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi root colonization, and on crop plant yield and quality.

This dataset concerns an experiment conducted in rhizotrons in 2018 at the University of Reading in UK. Two barley plants were grown in each rhizotron, and mulch of diverse plant residues were applied. The purpose of the experiment was to assess the effect of size, quality, and diversity of plant residue mulch on soil nutrients, on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi root colonization, and on crop plant yield and quality. There were four different types of plant residues: i) Perennial rye grass (P) (1 plant species), ii) Smart grass (S) (6 plant species), iii) Biomix (B) (12 plant species), and iv) Herbal mix (H) (17 plant species). Each residue type was separated in a short residue treatment (residue size 1.5 cm), and in a long residue treatment (residue size about 30 cm) and there was also a Control treatment with no residues. Therefore, there were 9 different treatments in total. Soil samples were collected on day 70 and on day 137 after mulch application. The dataset consists of 3 parts: i) data relevant to the barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L., var. Laureate) which were cultivated in rhizotrons. Data characteristics recorded concern the growth rate of barley plants (main stem elongation rate, length of ears), the dry mass of different parts of the barley plants (overground plants, roots, ears, and seeds), seed quality (C, N, and protein content), yield, and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi root colonization, ii) data relevant to the plant residues that were applied as mulch on the soil surface of the rhizotrons. Data characteristics recorded concern plant residue initial dry mass, recalcitrance, C and N content, and final plant residue dry mass, C and N content, iii) data relevant to the soil of the rhizotrons. Data characteristics recorded concern soil available N as NO3- and NH4+, soil available P, K, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, soil bulk density, and soil solution pH.