Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.1, 12-19 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 15 growth during a three-year loam soil experiment (Zhang et al., 2023). The result revealed a positive influence on plant growth and the significant height and number of branches increases were highlighted. In particular, the herb yield of motherwort increased on average by 85% in the first year and by 42% in the second year of growth, as a confirmation of the stimulating effect of this method of fertilization on the growth parameters (Miao et al., 2019). 4.2 Comprehensive evaluation of fertilization effects on yield and quality per unit area The general finding from the fertilization effect on yield and unit area quality was that the Ekolist S treatment resulted in a significant boost in the yield of motherwort herb. Treatment with the foliar fertilizer produced higher herb output but had an inconclusive effect on quality. During the first year, there was the hoped-for reduction of the stalk contribution towards the herb, which is indicative of quality. But in the second year, during the first harvest, the reverse. The flavonoid content, a key quality parameter, trended upward in the first year but declined in the second year, indicating a complex relationship between the yield and quality parameters (Zhang et al., 2022). 4.3 Balancing yield and active ingredients through optimized fertilization strategies Fertilization control needs to be enhanced in a way that promotes balance between yield and active ingredient content to maximize Leonurus japonicus yield (Wang et al., 2023). Ekolist S treatment was noted by this work to lead to considerable improvement in yield but heterogeneous effects on active ingredients such as flavonoids. The theoretical levels of flavonoids, according to both herb production and flavonoid content, were always higher in the treated plots with Ekolist S. This means that in order to maximize yield, one should also look at the quality of active ingredients so that the output will be highly balanced. Altering the frequency and duration of applying fertilizers can also have the capacity to balance these two variables towards quality and optimal output (Kim et al., 2024). 5 Effects of Fertilization on Soil Microecology and Environment 5.1 Impact of fertilization on soil microbial community structure and function Fertilizer management has a significant effect on soil microbial structure and activity. Foliar fertilizer application, such as the use of Ekolist S, could alter the microbial dynamics through deposition of key macro- and micro-elements that promote plant growth, and indirectly affect the root exudates needed for microbial survival (Zhang et al., 2019). This can lead to more active and diverse microbial community and promote soil health and nutrient cycling (Li et al., 2017) (Figure 2). Figure 2 Effects of fertilization on soil microbes and soil nutrients (Adopted from Zhu et al., 2022) 5.2 Evaluation of nutrient use efficiency and environmental benefits of different fertilization strategies Other forms of fertilization, such as foliar sprays, can potentially boost the utilization efficiency of nutrients by delivering nutrients to plant leaves and reducing losses due to leaching or volatilization. The Ekolist S experiment
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