Chunyan Zheng^1,2

1 Nanxun Nuonuo Family Farm, Huzhou, 313001, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Soil Biology, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 3   
Received: 06 May, 2026    Accepted: 10 Jun., 2026    Published: 29 Jun., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Organic fertilization is widely recognized as a sustainable strategy to improve soil health and crop productivity. This review focuses on the effects of organic fertilizers on soil biological functions in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) fields. Different types of organic fertilizers, including animal-derived, plant-based, and industrial by-products, influence soil physicochemical properties, microbial community structure, and enzyme activities. Organic amendments enhance the abundance and functional diversity of soil microorganisms, particularly those involved in carbon and nitrogen cycling, thereby promoting nutrient availability and soil ecological stability. A case study highlights empirical evidence of organic fertilization improving microbial functions, linking soil biological activity with sweet potato yield and quality. The findings emphasize the critical role of organic inputs in maintaining soil fertility and suggest integrated management strategies for sustainable sweet potato production. Future research should further elucidate the mechanistic pathways of microbial-mediated nutrient transformations under long-term organic fertilization.

Organic fertilization; Soil microbial functions; Sweet potato; Soil enzyme activity Soil health