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In order to study the contribution of long-term tillage and rice straw management practices on wheat yield and soil properties in a rice–wheat system, a field study was conducted with seven main plot treatments as straw management practices, i.e., puddled transplanted rice + zero till drill sown wheat without paddy and wheat straw (R₁), puddled transplanted rice + conventional tillage sown wheat without paddy and wheat straw (R₂), puddled transplanted paddy without wheat straw + zero till wheat sown with Happy Seeder with paddy straw as mulch (R₃), puddled transplanted rice without wheat straw+ conventional tillage sown wheat after paddy straw incorporation with disc harrow (R₄), puddled transplanted rice without wheat straw + zero till sown wheat after paddy straw incorporation with rotavator (R₅), puddled transplanted rice with wheat straw + zero till sown wheat with Happy Seeder with paddy straw as mulch (R₆), puddled transplanted rice + zero till drill sown wheat after partial burning of wheat and paddy straw (R₇) and three subplot treatments, i.e., nitrogen (N) levels (100, 125 and 150 kg ha⁻¹), in a rice–wheat system-cropping system during 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 in a split plot experiment. Among different treatments, the straw management practices significantly influenced yield and yield attributes as well as the nutrient availability in soil. The application of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ resulted in a significantly higher partial factor productivity (PFP_N) of N over other levels of N application. The reduction in wheat yields obtained with conventional sowing of wheat without straw/straw burning/removal cannot be compensated even with an additional 50 kg N ha⁻¹ to that obtained with straw retention or incorporation. In addition to saving N, crop residue recycling also helped to improve soil properties, grain quality, profitability, and air quality considerably.