Abstract:Effects of three conservation tillage practices in contrast with conventional tillage (T) on the fungi population, vertical distribution and community structure were studied under field condition of the semi-arid areas of the Loess Plateau. Three conservational tillage practices included conventional tillage with straw incorporated (TS), no-till with no straw cover (NT), no-till with stubble retention (NTS). Results showed that the tillage practices had no significantly effects on total fungi populations. However, the population of fungi was higher on TS than T, NTS> NT and T >NT. Tillage practice had significantly effects on the fungi community structure in the plough layer. For the three conservation tillage practices, the dominant communities were Metarrhizium, Phythium, Aspergillus with the dominance index of Berger-Parker about 0.60, whereas the dominant communities for the conventional tillage were Metarrhizium and Fusarium with the dominance index of Berger-Parker about 0.70. The order of the index for the diversity and uniformity of soil fungi communities were as follows: NTS>TS>T>NT. Therefore NTS and TS not only increased the number of beneficial fungi and enhance the nutrient conversion rate,but also improve the sustainable development of agriculture in this region in the long-term.