Organic Amendments Boost Sunflower Nutrient Uptake in Saline-Alkali Farmland

Researchers at China Agricultural University have conducted a field experiment to investigate the impact of organic amendments on sunflower nutrient uptake and the underlying microbial mechanisms in a saline-alkali farmland. The study used three fertilization treatments: no organic amendment, lignite-based organic amendment of 4.5 t ha-1, and sheep manure fertilizer of 5 t ha-1. The results showed that the lignite-based organic amendment and sheep manure fertilizer increased sunflower nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, as well as yield, with the lignite-based organic amendment performing better than the sheep manure fertilizer.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that lignite-based organic amendment of 4.5 t ha-1 increased sunflower nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by 23.1% and 31.4%, respectively, compared to the control group.
• Sheep manure fertilizer of 5 t ha-1 increased sunflower nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by 15.6% and 24.1%, respectively, compared to the control group.
• The lignite-based organic amendment and sheep manure fertilizer promoted the growth of stable beneficial microbes, such as Pseudomonas, MND1, Penicillium, and Mortierella, which were associated with multiple nitrogen and phosphorus metabolic processes.
• The study suggests that organic amendments can promote crop nutrient uptake by assisting crops in recruiting stable beneficial soil microbes, which may facilitate nitrogen and phosphorus transformations and enhance microbial community stability in a saline-alkali farmland.
• The research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key R&D Program of China, Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF, and Program for Talents Cultivation of China Agricultural University.

Statistics:

• 23.1% increase in sunflower nitrogen uptake attributed to lignite-based organic amendment
• 31.4% increase in sunflower phosphorus uptake attributed to lignite-based organic amendment
• 15.6% increase in sunflower nitrogen uptake attributed to sheep manure fertilizer
• 24.1% increase in sunflower phosphorus uptake attributed to sheep manure fertilizer
• 9 and 6 stable beneficial microbes enriched in the sunflower rhizosphere after applying lignite-based organic amendment and sheep manure fertilizer, respectively

Sources:

• VerticalNews, "New Report Published Examines Agriculture - Farmland" (VerticalNews, 2025)
• Plant and Soil, "Organic Amendments Promote Sunflower Nutrient Uptake By Recruiting Stable Beneficial Microbiomes In Saline-alkali Farmland" (Plant and Soil, 2025)
• China Agricultural University, "Research Team Publishes New Study on Farmland" (China Agricultural University, 2025)