Articles | Volume 12, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-133-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-12-133-2026
Original research article
 | 
20 Feb 2026
Original research article |  | 20 Feb 2026

Comparative impact of bio-organic and inorganic fertilizer application on soil health, grain quality and yield stability in nutrient deficient regions

Azhar Hussain, Zafar Iqbal, Asma Sabir, Eman Alhomaidi, and Maqshoof Ahmad

Cited articles

Akbar, F., Rahman, A. U., and Rehman, A.: Genetic Engineering of Rice to Survive in Nutrient-Deficient Soil, Rice Research for Quality Improvement: Genomics and Genetic Engineering: Volume 1: Breeding Techniques and Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Springer, Singapore, 437–464, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4120-9_19, 2020. 
Ali, M. and Tsou, S. C.: Combating micronutrient deficiencies through vegetables – a neglected food frontier in Asia, Food Policy, 22, 17–38, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-9192(96)00029-2, 1997. 
Antreich, S.: Heavy metal stress in plants-a closer look, Protocol of the project practicum “Heavy metal stress in plants”, University of Vienna, 13 pp., https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:55057154, 2012.  
Asghar, M. U., Hussain, A., Anwar, H., Dar, A., Ahmad, H. T., Nazir, Q., Tariq, N., and Jamshaid, M. U.: Investigating the Efficacy of Dry Region Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria for Growth Promotion of Maize and Wheat under Axenic Conditions, Plant Health, 3, 1–18, https://doi.org/10.33687/planthealth.03.01.5158, 2024. 
Brookes, P. C., Landman, A., Pruden, G., and Jenkinson, D.: Chloroform fumigation and the release of soil nitrogen: a rapid direct extraction method to measure microbial biomass nitrogen in soil, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 17, 837–842, https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(85)90144-0, 1985. 
Download
Short summary
Wheat production in arid regions is limited by poor soil fertility and zinc deficiency. We tested eco-friendly solutions combining compost, zinc supplements, and beneficial microbes in field trials in Pakistan. The integrated approach boosted wheat growth, yield, and grain zinc levels while also improving soil health. These results show that bio-organic fertilization can sustainably enhance crop productivity and nutrition in dryland farming systems.
Share