To investigate the effects of different soil management practices and synthetic N fertilization rates on soil N₂O emissions and their relationship with maize grain yield to determine the best management system to reduce yield-scaled N₂O emissions (YSNE) in a semiarid area recently converted to irrigation under Mediterranean conditions.

 The use of no-till or reduced tillage does not lead to higher YSNE than conventional tillage in Mediterranean agroecosystems recently converted to irrigation.

 To quantify soil CO₂ and CH₄ emissions as well as crop performance under different tillage systems and N fertilization rates during three maize growing seasons in a semiarid area converted to irrigated.

 In maize-based Mediterranean agroecosystems recently transformed to irrigation, the reduction in tillage intensity and N fertilization rates increases soil CO₂ emissions and CH₄ uptake.

 To quantify the C footprint of six low-input arable cropping systems resulting from the combination of three levels of grain legumes introduction in a 3-yr rotation and the use of cover crops (CC) or bare fallow (BF) between cash crops, covering two rotation cycles (6 years).

 The introduction of grain legumes strongly influences SOC changes and, consequently, the C footprint. In the BF systems, grain legumes introduction in the rotations leads to a significant increase in the C footprint, because of higher soil organic carbon losses. Contrarily, the use of cover crops mitigates SOC losses, and lowers the C footprint. These results indicate the need of CC when increasing the number of grain legumes in cereal-based rotations.

 We cover key issues related to C management for soil C sequestration in dryland areas, highlighting future research priorities to clarify current knowledge gaps under a multidisciplinary point of view.