Soil & Water Res., 2025, 20(3):153-163 | DOI: 10.17221/123/2024-SWR

Organic fertilizer and microbial agents increase soil quality and maize yield on coastal saline-alkali landOriginal Paper

Zengjiao Wang, Yin Zhang, Deheng Zhang, Shenghao Zhang, Hongxiang Zhao, Zhen Liu*, Geng Li, Tangyuan Ning
Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, P.R. China

To evaluate the effects of organic fertilizer and microbial agents on soil water and salt distribution, microorganisms, and crop yield on coastal saline-alkaline land, eight treatments were established, i.e., two maize varieties (Dajing Jiu 26 (J) and Quchen Jiu (Q)) and four organic fertilizer and microbial agent application methods (no organic fertilizer or microbial agent application (O0M0), single organic fertilizer application (O1M0), single microbial agent application (O0M1), and combined organic fertilizer and microbial agent application (O1M1)). The soil water content in the 40–50 cm soil layer under JO1M1 was 3.35% greater than that under JO0M0 at the mature stage. The soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) in the 0–10 cm soil layer under JO1M1 were 16.69% and 21.37% greater, respectively, than those under JO0M0 at the jointing stage. The actinomycete content was 58.79% greater in QO1M1 than in QO0M0. The urease activity was greater in O1M0 than in the other management practices. Compared with that in JO0M0 and QO0M0, the alkaline phosphatase activity in JO1M1 and QO1M1 was 47.36% and 33.97% higher, respectively. Compared with those of JO0M0, the catalase activity and sucrase activity of JO1M1 were 57.62% and 22.78% higher, respectively. Compared with JO0M0 and QO0M0, JO1M1 and QO1M1 increased the grain yield by 20.69% and 16.42%, respectively, and increased the biomass by 23.36% and 26.45%, respectively. In summary, organic fertilizer and microbial agents provide a scientific model for the rational use of saline soils and the development of their potential.

Keywords: organic material input; soil enzyme activities; soil organic carbon; water-salt dynamics

Received: October 7, 2024; Revised: March 29, 2025; Accepted: April 7, 2025; Prepublished online: April 23, 2025; Published: July 1, 2025  Show citation

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Wang Z, Zhang Y, Zhang D, Zhang S, Zhao H, Liu Z, et al.. Organic fertilizer and microbial agents increase soil quality and maize yield on coastal saline-alkali land. Soil & Water Res. 2025;20(3):153-163. doi: 10.17221/123/2024-SWR.
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