Abstract <p>Soil biological and agrochemical properties depending on the plant mulch mass distributed by the soil surface using no-till technology were studied in the Stavropol krai on the basis of field experiment in 2020–2023. Populations of two groups of soil organisms (microorganisms and springtails) were taken to assess the biological indices of mulching efficiency. The abundance of these groups correlated positively with the increase in plant residue mass. The maximal amount of soil microorganisms that transform nitrogen of organic and mineral compounds and cellulolytics, as well as springtails, was registered at 16 t/ha of plant residues on the surface. However, for springtails, no significant changes in species richness (number of species) were noted; and species diversity estimated by the Shannon-Weaver index decreased with the increasing plant residue mass. Moisture content and agrochemical parameters of soil (available nitrogen and phosphorus) correlated positively with the mulch mass. It was found that the most productive moisture was contained in a 0–10-cm soil layer upon 16 t/ha of mulch. A decrease in the mass of plant mulch leads to a reliable decrease in the concentration of plant-available nutrients to the minimal values, when plant residues are absent. No significant changes in humus content were revealed.</p>