Summary
This comprehensive review synthesises evidence on the synergistic effects of balanced mineral-organic fertilisation on soil health and crop productivity. The authors demonstrate that replacing 20–40% of mineral fertilisers with organic alternatives enhances microbial diversity and enzymatic activity whilst reducing environmental risks and sustaining or increasing yields by 25–40% in rice and maize. The findings support region-specific, integrated fertilisation frameworks as a pathway to optimise both ecological sustainability and agricultural productivity.
Regional applicability
The findings are potentially applicable to UK arable cereal production, particularly where soil organic matter is limited and mineral fertiliser use remains intensive. However, region-specific optimisation will be necessary to account for UK soil types, climate conditions, and existing organic matter baselines, and further field validation in temperate systems would strengthen evidence for uptake.
Key measures
β-glucosidase and urease activity; microbial diversity and biomass; functional gene abundance; soil organic carbon (% change); soil nitrogen content (% change); crop yield (% increase); greenhouse gas emissions; nutrient leaching; soil water and nutrient retention capacity
Outcomes reported
The study evaluated the effects of mineral-organic fertiliser ratios on soil microbial communities, enzymatic activity, and functional gene abundance using bioinformatics, enzyme assays, and metagenomic analyses. Field trials measured yield changes, soil organic carbon, nitrogen content, and microbial biomass under combined fertilisation strategies in rice and maize production.
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