Abstract <p>The priming effect plays a pivotal role in determining the stability of the soil carbon pool, with significant implications for global carbon cycling and sustainable ecosystem development. The study investigated the impact of adding wheat straw on the priming effect of soil organic matter and the factors associated with this effect. A 49-day incubation experiment revealed the priming effect mechanism with straw added in four soil types (Chernozems, Arenosols, Cambisols, and Luvisols). Results demonstrated that straw addition significantly enhanced the cumulative C–CO₂ emissions of four soil types, resulting in a positive priming effect. After incubation, the priming effect was in Chernozems &gt; Arenosols &gt; Luvisols &gt; Cambisols, with Cambisols exhibiting significantly lower priming compared to other soils. The effect of straw addition on β‑glucosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, and acid phosphatase enzyme activities varied with soil types. Significant positive correlations (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) were observed between priming effect and NAG, C/N, AP, MBC/MBN, and βG, and negative correlation with MBN. The stoichiometric ratios indicated that straw addition induced distinct carbon and phosphorus limitations, with Cambisols exhibiting the most pronounced nutrient constraints among all studied soil types. Therefore, soil C/N ratio, microbial resources, and enzyme activities emerged as pivotal determinants governing the observed variations in soil priming effects. Soil P is as essential as C and N, and to further explore the influence mechanism of priming effect, the indicators related to C, N, and P should be examined more deeply in future studies.</p>