Aiming to clarify the comprehensive ecological effects of straw returning practices, stationary field trials were conducted at four sites in Hubei Province with five treatments: no straw return (CK), direct straw return (SR), straw burning return (SB), and SB supplemented with 15% and 30% organic fertilizer (SB15, SB30). Their impacts on crop yield, soil properties, and pests, diseases and weeds were investigated. Results showed that all straw returning practices increased crop yields. Relative to CK, SR elevated soil total nitrogen, organic carbon and mean weight diameter ( MWD) by 15.7%~32.6% , 13.4%~16.8% and 6.8%~60.5% , but aggravated farmland pests, diseases and weeds and suppressed crop growth. SB offset this drawback by strongly reducing biotic stresses: pest density dropped by 28.6%~47.7% , weed density reduced by 45.0%~51.5% , and disease index at Site B was 46.0% lower than that of SR. SB activated soil available P and K through ash effects, increasing them by 9.1%~26.0% and 6.0%~6.4% , respectively, relative to that of SR, thereby achieving greater yield gains. Compared with SB, SB amended with organic fertilizer effectively increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen, and enhanced soil aggregate stability. SB30 achieved the best performance, with SOC and MWD increased by 19.1% and 17.9% relative to SB, respectively. SB15 increased fine macroaggregates and microaggregates by 34.5% and 15.7% compared with SB. At Site D, the improvement of soil carbon pool and soil structure demonstrated synergistic yield-increasing potential. In conclusion, SR was superior for soil fertility building and structural improvement, whereas SB supplemented with organic fertilizer integrates the benefits of different returning approaches, achieving high crop productivity, and provides a scientific basis for efficient straw.