microbial organic fertilizer – Science

No-Till Farming and Microbial Fertilizers Increase Carbon in Albic Soils

Morgan Morrow — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 02:55:18 +0000

A one-year field experiment in China has revealed that a carefully combined soil-management strategy can dramatically increase organic carbon in albic soil, a difficult agricultural soil type known for compaction, poor aeration and low fertility. Researchers found that no-tillage, retained maize straw and a high application rate of microbial organic fertilizer increased soil organic carbon (SOC) by 22.0% in the upper 20 centimetres of soil and by an astonishing 93.2% in the 20–40 centimetre layer compared with the control. The findings suggest that degraded farmland could store substantially more carbon when soil disturbance, organic inputs and microbial activity are managed together.

The study, published in Agricultural Ecology and Environment, addresses a major challenge for farmers working with albic soils. These soils often have high bulk density, limited pore space and weak organic-matter reserves, conditions that restrict root growth, water movement and nutrient cycling. Their compacted structure can also make it difficult for carbon-rich plant residues to enter and remain in deeper layers. At the same time, intensive ploughing can expose protected organic matter to oxygen and accelerate its decomposition, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The researchers tested whether combining different tillage systems with microbial organic fertilizer could overcome these limitations. The field experiment was conducted between 2023 and 2024 in maize-growing soil in Shulan, Jilin Province, northeastern China. The team compared no-tillage, plough tillage and rotary tillage, while applying microbial organic fertilizer at rates of 600, 1,200 or 2,400 kilograms per hectare. Straw-return treatments were also included, and no-tillage without straw return served as the control. The fertilizer was made from composted livestock and poultry manure and contained beneficial microorganisms including Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Trichoderma harzianum.

The physical arrangement of each treatment was central to the experiment. Under no-tillage, the straw and fertilizer remained on the soil surface as a protective mulch. Ploughing incorporated these materials to a depth of 40 centimetres, while rotary tillage mixed them into the upper 15 centimetres. After the maize harvest, soil was collected from the 0–20 and 20–40 centimetre layers. Researchers then measured SOC, microbial biomass carbon, bulk density, porosity, pH, nutrient concentrations and the distribution of soil aggregates, which are clusters of mineral particles and organic matter that help determine how securely carbon is stored.

The strongest increase occurred under no-tillage with the highest fertilizer rate. In the topsoil, SOC reached 14.57 grams per kilogram, 22.0% higher than in the no-tillage control. In the subsoil, SOC rose to 8.75 grams per kilogram, representing a 93.2% increase. The result is particularly notable because carbon accumulation below the surface is usually difficult to achieve over a single growing season. Deeper soil carbon is often constrained by limited organic inputs, high compaction and slow biological activity, making the response observed in this experiment unusually large.

The researchers attribute the improvement to several processes operating at once. Straw supplied carbon-rich material, while the microbial fertilizer added both organic matter and microorganisms capable of transforming complex residues. No-tillage reduced physical disruption and helped preserve soil aggregates. These aggregates can enclose organic compounds within small pores, limiting their exposure to decomposing organisms and oxygen. In effect, the soil structure acts as a form of physical carbon protection. Surface straw may also reduce evaporation, moderate soil temperature and gradually release carbon compounds as it decomposes.

The results also exposed an important trade-off between carbon accumulation and soil structure. No-tillage generally produced the greatest proportion and stability of macroaggregates, the larger soil clusters that are particularly important for protecting organic carbon. Plough tillage, however, helped relieve compaction and promoted carbon accumulation in the subsoil, probably because it physically moved straw and fertilizer deeper into the profile. That benefit came at a cost: repeated soil disturbance frequently weakened macroaggregate stability, potentially leaving stored carbon more vulnerable to decomposition. Rotary tillage reduced topsoil bulk density and stimulated several biological processes, but its stronger enzyme activity did not consistently result in higher SOC.

To understand the mechanisms behind the changes, the team analysed four enzymes involved in carbon decomposition: α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase and endo-1,4-β-xylanase. These enzymes help microorganisms break down cellulose, hemicellulose and other plant-derived compounds. The researchers also examined microbial biomass carbon and used correlation-network analysis to identify relationships among biological, chemical and structural properties. In the topsoil, SOC was closely linked to microbial indicators and aggregate characteristics. In the subsoil, physical and chemical constraints appeared to exert a stronger influence, showing that carbon management may require different strategies at different depths.

The scientists caution that the findings represent only one year of field observations. A rapid increase in SOC does not automatically mean that carbon will remain stored for decades, and the experiment did not trace the survival or activity of the individual microbial strains added through the fertilizer. Longer-term studies will be needed to determine whether the carbon gains persist, how much carbon is held in stable fractions, and whether the treatment improves maize yields under different weather conditions. Even so, the study offers a potentially powerful blueprint for rebuilding degraded albic soils: disturb the soil less, keep crop residues in place and supply enough organic material to support sustained microbial activity. If confirmed over longer periods and across broader regions, the approach could improve soil resilience while helping agriculture contribute to carbon storage.

Subject of Research: Not applicable

Article Title: Tillage methods and microbial fertilizers synergistically enhance soil organic carbon concentration in albic soil

News Publication Date: 28 May 2026

Web References: https://www.maxapress.com/aee; https://doi.org/10.48130/aee-0026-0013

References: Fan, Wei, Cai, Hongguang, et al. “Tillage methods and microbial fertilizers synergistically enhance soil organic carbon concentration in albic soil.” Agricultural Ecology and Environment. DOI: 10.48130/aee-0026-0013

Image Credits: Agricultural Ecology and Environment

Keywords

Soil organic carbon, albic soil, no-tillage, straw retention, microbial organic fertilizer, soil aggregates, carbon storage, sustainable agriculture, soil health, climate change mitigation

No-till and microbial fertilizers jointly boost carbon storage in nutrient-poor albic soils

Morgan Morrow — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 01:11:22 +0000

Albic soils, known for their pale, compacted layers and low fertility, may have found an unexpected ally in a combination of ancient farming restraint and modern microbial technology. A field study in northeastern China suggests that no-tillage farming, crop-straw retention, and microbial organic fertilizer can work together to substantially increase soil organic carbon, including in deeper layers often overlooked by carbon-management strategies. The findings point to a practical way of improving difficult agricultural soils while potentially strengthening their role as long-term carbon reservoirs.

Albic soils are widespread in parts of northeastern China and are notoriously challenging to cultivate. Their dense structure can restrict root growth and water movement, while their acidity and limited organic matter reduce biological activity and nutrient availability. These conditions also make it difficult for the soil to stabilize carbon. According to the researchers, the most successful treatment was no-tillage combined with the highest fertilizer application rate, which produced measurable improvements through the upper 40 centimeters of soil.

The experiment was conducted over one growing year, from 2023 to 2024, in Shulan City, Jilin Province. Researchers compared three tillage systems: no-tillage, plough tillage, and rotary tillage. Each system received microbial organic fertilizer at one of three rates—600, 1,200, or 2,400 kilograms per hectare. The fertilizer was made from composted livestock and poultry manure and enriched with beneficial microorganisms, including Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Trichoderma harzianum. Crop straw was also retained as part of the soil-management approach.

The strongest result came from the no-tillage treatment receiving 2,400 kilograms of microbial organic fertilizer per hectare. Compared with a no-tillage control without straw return, this combination increased soil organic carbon by 22 percent in the top 20 centimeters and by an extraordinary 93.2 percent in the 20-to-40-centimeter layer. Soil organic carbon reached 14.57 grams per kilogram in the topsoil and 8.75 grams per kilogram in the subsoil, indicating that the effects were not confined to the surface where fertilizers and residues are first deposited.

The apparent success of no-tillage lies in the way it protects soil structure. Repeated mechanical disturbance can break apart soil aggregates—clusters of mineral particles, organic matter, roots, and microbial products that create the physical architecture of soil. No-tillage leaves these structures more intact, allowing carbon to become enclosed within larger aggregates. Once physically protected, organic compounds are less accessible to decomposing microorganisms and may remain in the soil longer instead of rapidly returning to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Microbial fertilizer added a biological dimension to this physical protection. Organic amendments supply carbon-rich material, nutrients, and microbial communities that can stimulate decomposition, nutrient cycling, and the formation of microbial residues. Some of these residues become associated with mineral particles or incorporated into stable aggregates, creating forms of soil organic carbon that are more resistant to rapid breakdown. The results suggest that adding organic material alone may not be enough; the soil must also provide a structure capable of retaining and protecting the carbon.

The study revealed that different forms of tillage create competing benefits. Plough tillage improved some physical conditions at depth by loosening compacted soil and enhancing aeration, root penetration, and nutrient movement. It also produced relatively high subsoil carbon concentrations. However, the mechanical disruption reduced the stability of macroaggregates, the larger structural units most closely associated with physical carbon protection. Rotary tillage stimulated several enzymes involved in carbon cycling, but stronger enzyme activity did not automatically translate into greater carbon storage.

This distinction is crucial because soil carbon is governed not only by how much organic material enters the soil, but also by how quickly it is transformed and whether the resulting compounds are stabilized. Enzymes that break down sugars, cellulose, and hemicellulose can make nutrients available to plants and microorganisms, yet they can also accelerate carbon turnover. The researchers found that relationships among enzyme activity, carbon concentration, and aggregate stability varied with soil depth and tillage method. In other words, an active soil is not necessarily a soil that stores more carbon.

The findings arrive as farmers and climate researchers search for ways to increase carbon storage without sacrificing agricultural productivity. No-tillage and residue retention are already promoted in many regions because they can reduce erosion and preserve soil moisture, while compost-based fertilizers may help rebuild depleted organic matter. However, the researchers caution that this experiment lasted only one year. Longer monitoring will be needed to determine whether the carbon gains persist, how yields respond, and whether the practices alter greenhouse-gas emissions such as nitrous oxide and methane. Even so, the results suggest that combining reduced disturbance with substantial biological inputs could turn fragile albic soils into more productive and more effective carbon-storing systems.

Subject of Research: Soil organic carbon storage, tillage management, microbial organic fertilizer, soil aggregates, and carbon cycling in albic soil

Article Title: Tillage methods and microbial fertilizers synergistically enhance soil organic carbon concentration in albic soil

News Publication Date: 28-May-2026

Web References: https://doi.org/10.48130/aee-0026-0013

References: Zhao Z, Cheng S, Li X, Zhang C, Liu X, et al. 2026. “Tillage methods and microbial fertilizers synergistically enhance soil organic carbon concentration in albic soil.” Agricultural Ecology and Environment 2: e016. DOI: 10.48130/aee-0026-0013

Image Credits: Zhenlin Zhao, Song Cheng, Xiaolin Li, Chang Zhang, Ximing Liu, Jinyao Yan, Jingchao Yuan, Jianzhao Liu, Yao Liang, Wei Fan, and Hongguang Cai

Keywords

Albic soil, soil organic carbon, no-tillage farming, microbial fertilizer, crop straw retention, soil aggregates, carbon sequestration, soil health, sustainable agriculture, carbon cycling