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Agronomy
Volume 16
Issue 1
10.3390/agronomy16010009
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Improving Soil Health and Rice Yields with the Application of Soil Amendments in Acidic Paddy Soils

by
Jian Liu
1,
Ting Wang
1,
Lihua Lan
1,
Qingjiu Meng
2,
Jun Xu
2,
Minjun Hu
2,
Tehseen Sajid
3 and
Jun Meng
1,*
1
Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-Treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, School of Environment and Natural Resources, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou 310023, China
2
Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Fuyang District, Hangzhou 311499, China
3
Institute of Biological Sciences, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan 64200, Punjab, Pakistan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2026, 16(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010009
Submission received: 6 November 2025 / Revised: 6 December 2025 / Accepted: 18 December 2025 / Published: 19 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Soil and Plant Nutrition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The over-application of nitrogen fertilizers has expedited soil acidification, resulting in the deterioration of agricultural soil quality and a decline in rice yields. This study evaluated the performance of seven soil amendments, including lime (L), biochar (BC), composted manure (CM), and alkaline inorganic material (AM), and their combinations, such as L with BC, L with CM, and BC with AM, in regulating soil pH, nutrient levels, heavy metal bioaccumulation, and rice yields at two field sites. The results demonstrated that soil pH increased by 0.33–1.57 units after amendment application. Compared with the control, the amendments reduced the concentrations of available cadmium in soils by 7–57%, available copper by 32–91%, available nickel by 12–88%, and available zinc by 18–99%. Moreover, they induced a reduction in exchangeable H+ and Al3+ levels, improving various properties and soil health. Furthermore, these amendments caused an increase in rice yields and a decrease in Cd and Ni accumulation in rice grains by 5–30% and 11–40%, respectively. Structural equation modeling indicated that the accumulation of heavy metals in rice is mainly mediated by soil pH via its impact on exchangeable acidity. This impact subsequently modifies soil nutrient availability, thereby influencing metal bioaccumulation. Overall, the application of these amendments presents promising strategies for mitigating soil acidification and improving agricultural productivity.
Keywords: acidified paddy fields; soil amendments; heavy metal; comprehensive evaluation; structural equation model acidified paddy fields; soil amendments; heavy metal; comprehensive evaluation; structural equation model

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MDPI and ACS Style

Liu, J.; Wang, T.; Lan, L.; Meng, Q.; Xu, J.; Hu, M.; Sajid, T.; Meng, J. Improving Soil Health and Rice Yields with the Application of Soil Amendments in Acidic Paddy Soils. Agronomy 2026, 16, 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010009

AMA Style

Liu J, Wang T, Lan L, Meng Q, Xu J, Hu M, Sajid T, Meng J. Improving Soil Health and Rice Yields with the Application of Soil Amendments in Acidic Paddy Soils. Agronomy. 2026; 16(1):9. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010009

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liu, Jian, Ting Wang, Lihua Lan, Qingjiu Meng, Jun Xu, Minjun Hu, Tehseen Sajid, and Jun Meng. 2026. "Improving Soil Health and Rice Yields with the Application of Soil Amendments in Acidic Paddy Soils" Agronomy 16, no. 1: 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010009

APA Style

Liu, J., Wang, T., Lan, L., Meng, Q., Xu, J., Hu, M., Sajid, T., & Meng, J. (2026). Improving Soil Health and Rice Yields with the Application of Soil Amendments in Acidic Paddy Soils. Agronomy, 16(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16010009

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