<p>Straw, as agricultural and forestry waste, has a significant problem of being discarded and wasted. To avoid resource waste and improve the comprehensive utilization rate of straw, it is necessary to explore new ways to deal with straw. The study investigated the impacts of different ways of carbonized straw returning on soil properties and the growth of maize seedlings. The research found that there were significant differences in the influences of surface mulching and deep burial of carbonized straw and straw (either alone or in combination) on soil properties, enzyme activities and the physiological and biochemical indexes of maize seedlings. Under the condition of surface mulching for straw incorporation into the field, the treatments of straw incorporation have significantly increased the soil water content, ammonium nitrogen content, available phosphorus content and catalase activity. For the treatments of carbonized straw returning, the soil nitrate nitrogen content, the plant height of maize and the root length have been significantly increased. According to the correlation analysis, there was a significant correlation between soil nitrogen and phosphorus components and soil properties. The achievements of this study will provide a practical framework for selecting straw incorporation strategies, which is of great significance for promoting soil health, enhancing grain productivity, achieving high crop yields and supporting the sustainable development of agriculture.</p> Graphical Abstract