A dataset of soil fertility evolution in typical farmlands of counties in the Guanzhong Plain, Shaanxi Province (2011 and 2023)

Soil quality is a key factor for achieving high and stable crop yields. Understanding the current status and evolutionary trends of regional land fertility is conducive to identifying the limiting factors that hinder farmland production, guiding farmers in implementing rational field managements, and thus improving soil fertility and farmland productivity. In 2023, the grain yield of the Guanzhong Plain accounted for more than half of the total grain yield of Shaanxi Province, which plays a crucial role in ensuring the food security. In this region, recommended fertilization based on soil testing entered the key stage of large-scale application in 2011, and reached the in-depth application stage in 2023, with the cumulative effects on soil fertility becoming apparent. Therefore, this dataset compiled the data obtained from farmers’ surveys and measurements of representative soil samples collected from cultivated lands in the Guanzhong region in 2011 and 2023. In 2011, the surveyed sites covered 11 counties/districts across 3 prefecture-level cities: Baoji City (Fufeng County, Chencang County, Qishan County, Mei County), Weinan City (Fuping County, Pucheng County, Linwei District), and Xianyang City (Wugong County, Sanyuan County, Xingping County, Jingyang County); while in 2023, the surveyed sites included only one prefecture-level city with 4 representative counties, namely Baoji City (Fufeng County, Chencang County, Qishan County, and Mei County). All soil samples were uniformly processed by qualified personnels at sampling period and analyzed using consistent protocols. In 2011, five soil (0–20 cm) parameters were measured, including soil organic carbon, total phosphorus, soil pH, available phosphorus and available potassium, totaling 443 data entries. In 2023, in addition to the aforementioned parameters, measurements included topsoil thickness, total nitrogen, bulk density, soil compaction, soil aggregates’ composition (>2,000 μm, 250–2,000 μm, 53–250 μm, and <53 μm), aggregate stability, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, available calcium, available magnesium, available microelements (zinc, iron, copper, manganese), alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, cellulase, β-1,4-glucosidase were also measured, totaling 130 data entries. This dataset adopts a two-tier data quality control process involving self-checks by qualified experimental personnel and review by quality control staff, and standardizes data across different time points and sampling sites to ensure accuracy and comparability. The dataset can provide information on the evolution trend of soil quality in typical regions of Guanzhong Plain and support scientific management of farmland in the region.