Abstract:A forest-ginseng agroforestry system produces significant economic benefits. However, the successful growth of ginseng requires particular environmental conditions, with soil quality being one of the most important factors restricting the growth of this plant. Therefore, understanding the optimal soil conditions for ginseng is essential to the healthy development of the ginseng industry. Currently, broad-leaved mixed forest (BM), conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest (CB), and Quercus mongolica forest (QM) are widely distributed forest-ginseng agroforestry stand types. In this study, we selected nine samples from three stand types in eastern Liaoning Province, China, that had similar stand characteristics but different ginseng cultivation years. Twenty-five soil quality factors were measured, including physical, chemical, and biological indicators. We then established the minimum data set (MDS) of forest-ginseng agroforestry soil assessment using analysis of variance, principal component analysis, correlation analysis, and expert experience method, and we used the fuzzy mathematics method to quantitatively evaluate soil quality. The results showed that (1) the optimal MDS to assess soil quality in the forest-ginseng agroforestry of this region is composed of eight indices: bulk density, pH, organic matter, available K, total Zn, microbial biomass N, acid phosphatase, and bacteria. (2) Soil quality value decreased in the following order: non-cultivated ginseng control sample in CB (0.764) > non-cultivated ginseng control sample in QM (0.745) > 14-year-old ginseng sample in CB (0.614) > 20-year-old ginseng sample in QM (0.385) > 12-year-old ginseng sample in BM (0.361) > non-cultivated ginseng control sample in BM (0.354) > 6-year-old ginseng sample in BM (0.323) > 9-year-old ginseng sample in BM (0.308) > 3-year-old ginseng sample in BM (0.230). These results suggest that forest stand type and ginseng cultivation years had different influences on soil quality. In future efforts to develop forest-ginseng agroforestry in this region, full consideration must be given to soil quality based on the soil quality MDS, and appropriate management measures need to be implemented. This study provides insights for ginseng cultivation and the sustainable development of the ginseng industry.