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Comparative analysis of suspension fertilizers as alternatives to conventional organic fertilizers in drip irrigation systems

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Abstract

This study evaluates the feasibility of utilizing suspension fertilizers as alternatives to conventional organic fertilizers in drip irrigation systems. The investigation focused on several key aspects, including storage stability, particle size distribution, soil organic matter (OM) content, seed germination, and nutrient utilization efficiency. Suspension fertilizers maintained excellent storage stability, with no stratification or deterioration observed over prolonged storage (≥ 30 days). Their particle size distribution remained suitable for drip irrigation systems, ensuring uniform application and reducing clogging risks. The application of suspension fertilizers significantly increased soil OM content across different soil layers (5–20 cm depth) by 25.3 to 44.1%. The phosphorus-use efficiency of banana seedlings increased 9.1- to 12.6-fold relative to the control. The germination index of cucumber and radish seeds improved by 41.7 to 184.6%. The results demonstrate that suspension fertilizers are a viable alternative to traditional organic fertilizers in drip irrigation systems. They enhance soil fertility, promote seed germination, and improve nutrient utilization efficiency. Future research should focus on long-term field trials to validate these benefits across diverse agricultural settings and soil types.

Data availability

Yes. The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to [part of the data is still undergoing further analysis and validation to ensure its accuracy and completeness, and the datasets contain confidential benchmarking information related to commercial products provided by our industry partners], but they are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Code availability

The code used in this study is available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFD1901502), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32002125).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China

    Sainan Xiang, Tianxing Ma & Yang Lyu

  2. Biotechnology Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, 530007, China

    Baoshen Li

  3. Research and Development Centre, Yunnan Yuntianhua Co., Ltd., Kunming, 650228, China

    Hang Ma

Authors

  1. Sainan Xiang
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  2. Baoshen Li
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  3. Hang Ma
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  4. Tianxing Ma
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  5. Yang Lyu
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Contributions

Xiang. conceived and designed the experiments, performed the experiments, assisted in data analysis and interpretation and analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. Li. supervised the research, provided resources, and revised the manuscript. Ma.(Hang Ma) provided resources. Ma. (Tianxing Ma)assisted in data analysis and interpretation. Lyu. provided guidance on the research design and manuscript writing. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to
Baoshen Li or Yang Lyu.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Xiang, S., Li, B., Ma, H. et al. Comparative analysis of suspension fertilizers as alternatives to conventional organic fertilizers in drip irrigation systems.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33769-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33769-y

Keywords

  • Suspension fertilizers
  • Conventional organic fertilizers
  • Drip irrigation systems
  • Nutrient utilization efficiency
  • Germination index

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