Effects of Mineral and Organic Fertilizers on Potato Yield, Soil Fertility, and Metal Accumulation in a Semi-Arid Field Trial
Abd Al Karim Jaafar1, Suleiman Salim1, Dema Altheb1, Mukhtar Iderawumi Abdulraheem2,3, Andrés Rodríguez-Seijo4,5,*
1 Department of Soil Science, College of Agricultural Engineering, Damascus University, Damascus, P.O. Box 30621, Syria
2 Department of Agricultural Science Education, Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, Ibadan, 201102, Nigeria
3 Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
4 Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencias do Solo, Área de Edafoloxía e Química Agrícola. Facultade de Ciencias de Ourense, Universidade de Vigo, As Lagoas s/n, Ourense, 32004, Spain
5 Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA), Campus Auga Ourense, Universidade de Vigo, Ourense, 32004, Spain
* Corresponding Author: Andrés Rodríguez-Seijo. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Plant Nutrition-Mechanisms, Regulation, and Sustainable Applications)
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.072520
Received 28 August 2025; Accepted 14 November 2025; Published online 24 November 2025
Abstract
The use of organic fertilizers can be an opportunity to increase crop yield and improve soil fertility in semi-arid regions, since soils from these regions usually have unfavourable conditions for plant growth. This research investigates the effects of organic and mineral fertilization on the impact of soil properties (pH, electrical conductivity and organic matter), availability of macro- (N, P and K), micro-nutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) and the accumulation of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr) in soil and potato tubers grown under semiarid conditions. A field experiment was conducted in Raqqa Governorate (Syria) using a randomized complete block design with six treatments: control, mineral fertilizer, fermented cow manure, municipal compost, sewage sludge and olive oil solid waste. At harvest, soil and plant samples were analyzed to assess nutrient dynamics in the soil and potato tubers, including metal uptake. The results showed that the highest yields were obtained with mineral fertilizer (22.87 t ha
−1) and sewage sludge (22.15 t ha
−1). Organic amendments significantly improved soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and the bioavailability of phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients after harvest. Compost and sewage sludge notably enhanced the soil and plant contents of Mn and Cu. However, these amendments also increased the amounts of Pb and Cd in soils and their uptake by plants, with Cd contents exceeding the Codex Alimentarius limit for potatoes (>0.1 mg kg
−1). These findings highlight the potential of treated organic waste as a valuable nutrient input for potato cultivation, especially in resource-limited areas. However, continuous monitoring is required due to the risk of heavy metal accumulation. Integrating organic fertilizers with mineral sources appears to be an effective strategy for improving crop productivity, soil health, and environmental sustainability.
Keywords
Organic fertilizers; heavy metals; nitrogen; micronutrients; protein; soil fertility; food security; sustainable agriculture
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