# The Effect of Different Types of Fertilizers on the Growth of Cassava and the Fungal Community in Rhizosphere Soil

## TL;DR

This study explores how different fertilizers affect cassava growth and the fungal community in soil, showing that combined organic and chemical fertilizers improve both crop yield and soil health.

## Contribution

The study reveals how combined organic and chemical fertilizers alter fungal communities and soil properties to enhance cassava productivity.

## Key findings

- Combined organic and chemical fertilizers significantly improved cassava growth and yield compared to unfertilized soil.
- Fertilization enhanced soil chemical properties and enzyme activities, which correlated with changes in fungal community structure.
- High-throughput sequencing showed specific fungal taxa abundances were altered by fertilizer treatments.

## Abstract

With the growing importance of cassava worldwide, developing efficient and eco-friendly fertilizer strategies is crucial for sustainable cassava production. Diverse fertilizer treatments can significantly influence soil properties and plant growth. In this study, we investigated the effects of three fertilizer treatments—organic fertilizer (OF), chemical fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer (CFOF), and reduced chemical fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer (RFOF)—on the fungal community structure, chemical properties (SOM, AP, AN, and AK), and enzyme activities (NP, SC, CAT, and UE) in cassava rhizosphere. Our results demonstrated that these fertilizer treatments significantly enhanced cassava growth and yield compared to the control (CK) without fertilization. Soil chemical properties (SOM, AN, AP, and AK) and enzyme activities (NP, SC, CAT, and UE) were notably improved following fertilization. High-throughput sequencing revealed the significant alterations in the relative abundance of specific fungal taxa. Environmental parameters, particularly UE, SC, CAT, and AP, showed strong correlations with fungal community structure. These findings highlight the critical role of combined organic and chemical fertilizers in promoting cassava productivity and soil health. Understanding these interactions provides a foundation for optimizing fertilization practices to enhance crop yields and support sustainable agriculture.