IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i19p8827-d1763561.html

Effects of Compound Fertilizer Containing Polyhalite on Soil and Maize Growth Under Different Nitrogen Levels

Author

Listed:
  • Xiaohan Li

    (Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

  • Ruixue Jing

    (Liangshan County Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Liangshan 272600, China)

  • Jimin Guo

    (Weifang Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Weifang 261061, China)

  • Shun Li

    (State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

  • Liyong Bai

    (Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

  • Jiulan Dai

    (Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China)

Abstract

The growing potassium (K) demand and supply–demand imbalance in intensive agriculture require the development of multi-nutrient K fertilizers. Polyhalite (POLY), a multi-nutrient natural mineral rich in K, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, can enhance soil nutrient diversity and fertility. However, research on its synergistic application with nitrogen (N) fertilizer remains limited. Therefore, this study was designed to apply three different fertilizer composites at four N concentration gradients through field plot experiments to evaluate crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency. Results revealed that the application of both compound fertilizers with N fertilizer increased maize yield, ranging from 1.03% to 11.53%, compared with the PK control. Moreover, 25-7-8 (MOP)(POLY26%) achieved a maximum yield of 9499.88 kg/ha at the N1 (170 kg/ha) level. This represents a significant increase of 11.53% compared with the PK control. Moreover, the application of compound fertilizer containing POLY could significantly increase the N fertilizer utilization rate; improve the quality of maize; and exert a significant effect on soil pH, EC, and nutrient content. This study paves the way for broader application of POLY by establishing its novel role as a sustainable nutrient source. It provides critical strategic guidance for advancing global resource-efficient agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaohan Li & Ruixue Jing & Jimin Guo & Shun Li & Liyong Bai & Jiulan Dai, 2025. "Effects of Compound Fertilizer Containing Polyhalite on Soil and Maize Growth Under Different Nitrogen Levels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-24, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8827-:d:1763561
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8827/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/19/8827/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mirosław Wyszkowski & Marzena S. Brodowska, 2021. "Potassium and Nitrogen Fertilization vs. Trace Element Content of Maize ( Zea mays L.)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Violeta Mandić & Vesna Krnjaja & Zdenka Girek & Milan Brankov & Nenad Mićić & Miloš Marinković & Aleksandar Simić, 2025. "Nitrogen Responsiveness of Maize Hybrids Under Dryland Conditions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Jia, Xucun & Shao, Lijie & Liu, Peng & Zhao, Bingqiang & Gu, Limin & Dong, Shuting & Bing, So Hwat & Zhang, Jiwang & Zhao, Bin, 2014. "Effect of different nitrogen and irrigation treatments on yield and nitrate leaching of summer maize (Zea mays L.) under lysimeter conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 92-103.
    4. Rajan Bhatt & Paramjit Singh & Omar M. Ali & Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef & Alison M. Laing & Akbar Hossain, 2021. "Polyhalite Positively Influences the Growth, Yield and Quality of Sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum L.) in Potassium and Calcium-Deficient Soils in the Semi-Arid Tropics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-15, September.
    5. Ma, Changjian & Wenbiao, Wu & Hou, Peng & Wang, Yue & Li, Bowen & Yuan, Huabin & Liu, Lining & Wang, Xuejun & Sun, Zeqiang & Li, Yan, 2025. "Effect of combined nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on summer maize yield and soil fertility in coastal saline-alkali land," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    6. Juan Zhai & Yuanmeng Zhang & Guoqiang Zhang & Ming Tian & Ruizhi Xie & Bo Ming & Peng Hou & Keru Wang & Jun Xue & Shaokun Li, 2022. "Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Management on Stalk Lodging Resistance Traits in Summer Maize," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, January.
    7. Xiao Chen & Xiaodong Chen & Jiabin Jiao & Fusuo Zhang & Xinping Chen & Guohua Li & Zhao Song & Eldad Sokolowski & Patricia Imas & Hillel Magen & Amnon Bustan & Yuzhi He & Dasen Xie & Baige Zhang, 2022. "Towards Balanced Fertilizer Management in South China: Enhancing Wax Gourd ( Benincasa hispida ) Yield and Produce Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, May.
    8. Samar Swify & Romas Mažeika & Jonas Baltrusaitis & Donata Drapanauskaitė & Karolina Barčauskaitė, 2023. "Review: Modified Urea Fertilizers and Their Effects on Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-20, December.
    9. Zhang, Ying & Zhu, Jian & Li, Changjun & Peng, Hua & Liu, Ji & Luo, Yue & Song, Min & Dai, Yanjiao & Deng, Kai & Ji, Xionghui, 2025. "Optimizing fertilizer application and straw return to fields to minimize nitrogen and phosphorus runoff losses in double-rice cropping systems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lu, Dehao & Liu, Liu & Bai, Yanling & An, Qiang & Cheng, Yongming & Huang, Guanhua, 2025. "Deficit irrigation alleviates the increase in soil salinity content in saline-alkali regions of China and improves irrigation water productivity: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    2. Wen, Shenglin & Cui, Ningbo & Wang, Yaosheng & Gong, Daozhi & Xing, Liwen & Wu, Zongjun & Zhang, Yixuan & Wang, Zhihui, 2024. "Determining effect of fertilization on reactive nitrogen losses through nitrate leaching and key influencing factors in Chinese agricultural systems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    3. Chilundo, Mario & Joel, Abraham & Wesström, Ingrid & Brito, Rui & Messing, Ingmar, 2018. "Influence of irrigation and fertilisation management on the seasonal distribution of water and nitrogen in a semi-arid loamy sandy soil," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 120-137.
    4. Zou, Haiyang & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Xiang, Youzhen & Wu, Lifeng & Yan, Shicheng, 2020. "Optimization of drip irrigation and fertilization regimes for high grain yield, crop water productivity and economic benefits of spring maize in Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    5. Honghong Ma & Tao Yang & Xinxiang Niu & Zhenan Hou & Xingwang Ma, 2021. "Sound Water and Nitrogen Management Decreases Nitrogen Losses from a Drip-Fertigated Cotton Field in Northwestern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-13, January.
    6. Haghnazari, Farzad & Karandish, Fatemeh & Darzi-Naftchali, Abdullah & Šimůnek, Jiří, 2020. "Dynamic assessment of the impacts of global warming on nitrate losses from a subsurface-drained rainfed-canola field," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    7. Yan, Fulai & Zhang, Fucang & Fan, Xingke & Fan, Junliang & Wang, Ying & Zou, Haiyang & Wang, Haidong & Li, Guodong, 2021. "Determining irrigation amount and fertilization rate to simultaneously optimize grain yield, grain nitrogen accumulation and economic benefit of drip-fertigated spring maize in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    8. Thongsouk Sompouviset & Yanting Ma & Eakkarin Sukkaew & Zhaoxia Zheng & Ai Zhang & Wei Zheng & Ziyan Li & Bingnian Zhai, 2023. "The Effects of Plastic Mulching Combined with Different Fertilizer Applications on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Intensity, and Apple Yield in Northwestern China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-23, June.
    9. Nandipamu, Tony Manoj Kumar & Chaturvedi, Sumit & Nayak, Prayasi & Dhyani, V.C. & Pachauri, S.P. & Shankhdhar, S.C. & Chandra, Subhash, 2025. "Energy-use audit and data envelopment analysis based optimization of tillage and residue management in rice-wheat system of Indo-Gangetic plains," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    10. Barbara Symanowicz & Marcin Becher & Dawid Jaremko & Martyna Toczko & Rafał Toczko & Sebastian Krasuski, 2022. "The Delayed Effect of Low-Energy Lignite Organic Matter on the Treatment Optimization of Zea mays L. Grown for Silage," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-14, October.
    11. Singh, Pritpal & Singh, Gurdeep & Sodhi, G.P.S., 2019. "Energy auditing and optimization approach for improving energy efficiency of rice cultivation in south-western Punjab, India," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 269-279.
    12. Gabriel Barșon & Laura Șopterean & Loredana Alexandra Suciu & Ioana Crișan & Marcel Matei Duda, 2021. "Evaluation of Agronomic Performance of Maize ( Zea mays L.) under a Fertilization Gradient in Transylvanian Plain," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-15, September.
    13. Faruque As Sunny & Juping Lan & Mohammad Ariful Islam, 2024. "Agrarian change through sustainable agri-tech adoption in a challenging rice farming region: A panel data analysis," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(12), pages 606-620.
    14. Shoukat, Muhammad Rizwan & Wang, Jingjing & Habib-ur-Rahman, Muhammad & Hui, Xin & Hoogenboom, Gerrit & Yan, Haijun, 2024. "Adaptation strategies for winter wheat production at farmer fields under a changing climate: Employing crop and multiple global climate models," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    15. Libutti, Angela & Monteleone, Massimo, 2017. "Soil vs. groundwater: The quality dilemma. Managing nitrogen leaching and salinity control under irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 40-50.
    16. Xuyang Zhao & Yun Hu & Bing Liang & Guopeng Chen & Liang Feng & Tian Pu & Xin Sun & Taiwen Yong & Weiguo Liu & Jiang Liu & Junbo Du & Feng Yang & Xiaochun Wang & Wenyu Yang, 2023. "Coordination of Density and Nitrogen Fertilization Improves Stalk Lodging Resistance of Strip-Intercropped Maize with Soybeans by Affecting Stalk Quality Traits," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-13, May.
    17. Dong, Qiang & Dang, Tinghui & Guo, Shengli & Hao, Mingde, 2019. "Effect of different mulching measures on nitrate nitrogen leaching in spring maize planting system in south of Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 654-658.
    18. Liu, Jing & Bi, Xiaoqing & Ma, Maoting & Jiang, Lihua & Du, Lianfeng & Li, Shunjiang & Sun, Qinping & Zou, Guoyuan & Liu, Hongbin, 2019. "Precipitation and irrigation dominate soil water leaching in cropland in Northern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 165-171.
    19. Changjian Ma & Peng Song & Chang Liu & Lining Liu & Xuejun Wang & Zeqiang Sun & Yang Xiao & Xinhao Gao & Yan Li, 2025. "Optimizing Phosphorus Fertilization for Enhanced Yield and Nutrient Efficiency of Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) on Saline–Alkali Soils in the Yellow River Delta, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.
    20. Dong, Qiang & Dang, Tinghui & Guo, Shengli & Hao, Mingde, 2019. "Effects of mulching measures on soil moisture and N leaching potential in a spring maize planting system in the southern Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 803-808.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:19:p:8827-:d:1763561. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.