Organic fertilizer enhances crop yield and soil health by increasing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi species richness

Abstract Substitution of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers is often considered a sustainable approach that can support soil health and promote crop yield. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are crucial for maintaining ecosystem multifunctionality; however, their beneficial functions are often influenced by fertilization. Up to now, the global impacts of organic fertilizers on AM fungal communities and mycorrhizal benefits on crop yield and soil health remain unclear. Here we conducted a global meta‐analysis to address these knowledge gaps regarding the impact of organic fertilizers application on the growth of AM fungi, and whether AM fungi could increase crop yield and improve soil health under the condition of substitution of organic fertilizers for chemical fertilizers. Based on global meta‐analysis, we found that organic fertilizers application can increase AM fungal biomass and richness by inhibiting soil acidification and increasing soil organic carbon content. Moreover, the benefits of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers for AM fungal communities depend on the agricultural management and climatic conditions. Full substitution of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers significantly enhanced AM fungal spore density (SD), phospholipid fatty acids and diversity compared to partial substitution. Monoculture systems outperformed crop rotation in promoting root colonization, SD and neutral lipid fatty acids. In hot and rainy regions, replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers significantly promoted AM fungal SD and richness. It is worth noting that AM fungal richness is positively related to crop yield and soil health, further emphasizing the importance of AM fungi in promoting plant growth and maintaining soil health under organic fertilizer application conditions. These findings emphasize the unique role of enriching AM fungal communities through organic fertilizers in supporting plant productivity and soil health. Our research underscores the significance of AM fungi as a nature‐based pathway for enhancing ecosystem multifunctionality and boosting nutrient utilization efficiency within agricultural ecosystems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.