Compost and vermicompost improve symbiotic nitrogen fixation, physiology and yield of the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis: A systematic review
Compost and vermicompost are valuable sources of organic matter, nutrients and beneficial microorganisms for plants. Both improve the physical and chemical properties of soil and stimulate its biological processes, such as beneficial interactions between soil microorganisms and plants. One examp...
| Autores principales: | , , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier B.V.
2025
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929139325001891?via%3Dihub https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12324/41334 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106051 |
| Sumario: | Compost and vermicompost are valuable sources of organic matter, nutrients and beneficial microorganisms for
plants. Both improve the physical and chemical properties of soil and stimulate its biological processes, such as
beneficial interactions between soil microorganisms and plants. One example is the symbiosis between legumes
and rhizobia. A systematic review of the existing scientific literature was conducted to assess the effects of
compost and vermicompost on symbiotic nitrogen fixation. The collected information and data were subse quently used for scientometrics and meta-analysis. Variance, effect size and percentage change from a control
without compost or vermicompost were analysed. The scientometrics analysis revealed promising research areas
including, the study of the effects of compost and vermicompost combined with rhizobia on plant physiology,
nitrogen fixation, soil quality, economic benefits, microbial diversity and salinity stress. The combined use of
compost and biochar emerged as the most recent research trend. Other relevant topics included the economic
benefits, and environmental sustainability impacts of compost and legumes for improving soil quality and ni trogen availability. The meta-analysis showed that compost application, on average, increased nodule number by
66 %, nodule fresh weight by 52 %, plant biomass by 48 %, plant height by 21 % and yield by 20 %. Vermi compost application led to greater values in these parameters. Some scientific gaps have been addressed as: i) the
effectiveness of compost at inducing nodule formation when inoculated with microbial inoculants, considering
the legume species and the edaphoclimatic conditions of the experiment, ii) the effects of biochar and compost on
nodulation improvement in legumes, and iii) the effect of the chemical and biological characteristics of compost
(or vermicompost), especially nitrogen content or raw nitrogen-fixing bacteria present in compost in the
Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. All these results confirm that using compost or vermicompost in the cultivation of
legume crops is a valuable approach to increase soil fertility, crop productivity and agricultural sustainability. |
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