Highlights
•Long-term management had legacy effects on nutrient supply potential of SOM.
•Tillage-stubble retention enhanced SOM mineralisation and nutrient release (N, P, S).
•Plant available N was released from the soil reserve over four months.
•Plant available P and/or S were released from the soil reserve over one month.
•Net immobilisation of P & S occurred during SOM mineralisation over four months.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key indicator of soil quality and plays an important role in enhancing a range of soil physical, chemical and biological functionsSoil organic matter (SOM) has the potential to supply substantial quantities of nutrients [i.enitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S)] for plant uptake. Yet there is little understanding of the impact of management on the nutrient supply potential in soils (particularly, P and S). To quantify N, P and S availability from SOM, surface soils (0–10 cm) were collected from 14 management practices across three long-term (16–46 years) experimental sites under semi-arid (Luvisol), Mediterranean (Luvisol) and sub-tropical (Vertisol) environments in Australia. The practices comprised conventional (CT) and reduced tillage (RT) with mixed farming, no-till with continuous cropping (NT), and perennial pasture (PP) in the semi-arid Luvisol, while in a Mediterranean direct-drilled continuous cropping system, stubble was either retained (SR) or burnt (SB).