Molecular Soil Biology 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 199-213 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/msb 2 05 Applying bio fertilizers and covering crops can significantly enhance soil microbial diversity and functional group richness, improve soil health and crop yield (Ascari et al., 2019; Ablimit et al., 2022). The direct impact of genetically modified corn on soil microorganisms is limited, and the improvement of soil health relies more on scientific management measures and diversified planting systems. 7 Environmental and Management Factors Influencing Impact 7.1 The role of crop rotation and monoculture Crop rotation, especially with leguminous crops such as velvet beans and soybeans or green manure crops, can effectively improve soil fertility and nutrient content. Mucuna pruriens-Zea mays and Glycine max-Zea mays rotation can increase soil fertility by 10% to 15%, while monoculture maize exhibits lower soil nutrient levels and higher risk of nitrate leaching (Ablimit et al., 2022; Mukhametov et al., 2024). Crop rotation improves soil microbial community structure, promotes the enrichment of beneficial microorganisms, and inhibits the spread of pathogens (Ablimit et al., 2022; Araújo et al., 2023). Crop rotation also enhances soil organic carbon and enzyme activity by increasing crop residue and organic matter input, promoting nutrient cycling and soil structure recovery. Compared with monoculture, soil pH, total nitrogen, and organic matter content were significantly increased under crop rotation system, and soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass were also higher (Ablimit et al., 2022; Mukhametov et al., 2024). 7.2 Effects of fertilizer types (synthetic and organic) and application rates The widespread use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers has greatly increased maize yields, but long-term intensive application often causes soil acidification, nutrient imbalance, and environmental problems such as nitrate leaching and ammonia volatilization (Bacenetti et al., 2016; Kumar et al., 2022; Mukhametov et al., 2024). Organic fertilizers, including pig manure, biogas residues, and green manure, add organic matter and stimulate microbial activity, which improve soil structure and buffering capacity while reducing environmental stress. Balanced use of organic and inorganic fertilizers, together with straw return, can raise soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and enzyme activity, improve soil pH, and reduce the risk of nitrate loss (Bacenetti et al., 2016; Ablimit et al., 2022; Mukhametov et al., 2024). Although excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer can increase yield in the short term, it can lead to a decrease in soil microbial diversity and enzyme activity inhibition, increasing environmental burden (Kumar et al., 2022; 2024). Adopting recommended fertilizer application rates (such as 100% or 150% recommended nitrogen fertilizer) combined with no tillage and crop residue cover can improve soil organic carbon, microbial biomass, and enzyme activity while increasing yield (Kumar et al., 2024). The application of biostimulants and microbial fertilizers can enhance crop stress resistance and soil health (Singh et al., 2025; Sobiech et al., 2025). 7.3 Interaction between climate and soil types There are significant differences in the response of management measures among different climate zones (such as arid, semi-arid, humid) and soil types (such as sandy, loam, clay). The extreme temperature and precipitation fluctuations brought about by climate change directly affect soil moisture, microbial activity, and nutrient cycling (Zhang et al., 2022b; Yang et al., 2023; Singh et al., 2025). Under high temperature or drought conditions, soil organic matter decomposition accelerates, microbial diversity decreases, and soil structure is easily damaged. Measures such as organic coverage, drip irrigation, and stress tolerant varieties need to be taken to alleviate this (Zhang et al., 2022b; Singh et al., 2025). Sandy soil is more prone to water loss and nutrient loss under drought and high temperatures, while clay is more prone to water accumulation and compaction. Conservation tillage and organic management measures are effective for soil organic carbon and yield in sandy and acidic soils (Baier et al., 2023). The soil organic carbon content is positively correlated with maize yield, but the marginal effect of SOC increase on yield varies under different climates and soil types (Oldfield et al., 2018).
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