Magnesium Fertilization Improves Crop Yield in Most Production Systems: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Magnesium deficiency is a frequently occurring limiting factor for crop production due to low levels of exchangeable Mg (ex-Mg) in acidic soil, which negatively affects sustainability of agriculture development. How Mg fertilization affects crop yield and subsequent physiological outcomes in different crop species, as well as agronomic efficiencies of Mg fertilizers, under varying soil conditions remain particular interesting questions to be addressed. A meta-analysis was performed with 570 paired observations retrieved from 99 field research articles to compare effects of Mg fertilization on crop production and corresponding agronomic efficiencies in different production systems under varying soil conditions. The mean value of yield increase and agronomic efficiency derived from Mg application was 8.5% and 34.4 kg kg -1 respectively, when combining all yield measurements together, regardless of the crop type, soil condition, and other factors. Under severe Mg deficiency (ex-Mg < 60 mg kg -1 ), yield increased up to 9.4%, nearly two folds of yield gain (4.9%) in the soil containing more than 120 mg kg -1 ex-Mg. The effects of Mg fertilization on yield was 11.3% when soil pH was lower than 6.5. The agronomic efficiency of Mg fertilizers was negatively correlated with application levels of Mg, with 38.3 kg kg -1 at lower MgO levels (0-50 kg ha -1 ) and 32.6 kg kg -1 at higher MgO levels (50-100 kg ha -1 ). Clear interactions existed between soil ex-Mg, pH, and types and amount of Mg fertilizers in terms of crop yield increase. With Mg supplementation, Mg accumulation in the leaf tissues increased by 34.3% on average; and concentrations of sugar in edible organs were 5.5% higher compared to non-Mg supplemented treatments. Our analysis corroborated that Mg fertilization enhances crop performance by improving yield or resulting in favorable physiological outcomes, providing great potentials for integrated Mg management for higher crop yield and quality.

Nutritional quality and health risk of pepper fruit as affected by magnesium fertilization

“…The legacy effect of Mg fertilization has frequently been reported in agricultural production system. 21,23 Under the present experimental condition, there were two factors that may have resulted in an absence of the legacy effect. First, soil available nutrients could be lost through leaching due to the heavy rainfall (1153 mm yr −1 , average over the past 40 years) and highly weathered soil type.…”

“…17,18 Significant yield improvement in response to magnesium (Mg) fertilization, which is an effective agronomic biofortification approach to improve Mg nutrition in crops, has been reported for a range of crops all over the world. [18][19][20][21] In a recent meta-analysis by Wang et al, Mg fertilizer application on average increased vegetable yields by 8.9% and such increase was most evident when soil Mg is severely deficient (ex-Mg < 60 mg kg −1 ). 21 Nowadays, growing evidences indicate that after nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), Mg deficiency is the most large-scale factor limiting productivity and quality of vegetable production.…”

“…[18][19][20][21] In a recent meta-analysis by Wang et al, Mg fertilizer application on average increased vegetable yields by 8.9% and such increase was most evident when soil Mg is severely deficient (ex-Mg < 60 mg kg −1 ). 21 Nowadays, growing evidences indicate that after nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), Mg deficiency is the most large-scale factor limiting productivity and quality of vegetable production.…”

Phospholipase Dα1 mediates the high-Mg2+ stress response partially through regulation of K+ homeostasis

“…As a cofactor for many enzymes, Mg is required for fundamental cellular processes including energy metabolism, photosynthesis, and the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins (Guo, Nazim, Liang & Yang, 2016). Mg is also involved in stress resistance (Huber & Jones, 2013, Mengutay, Ceylan, Kutman & Cakmak, 2013 and well-balanced Mg fertilization enhances crop yield and quality (Wang et al , 2019). The intracellular level of Mg 2+ is tightly regulated, and its deficiency or excess affects plant growth and development.…”

Critical Leaf Magnesium Concentrations for Adequate Photosynthate Production of Soilless Cultured Cherry Tomato—Interaction with Potassium

“…Greenhouse soilless culture facilitates high-yield and high-quality vegetable production by controlling growth environment factors such as temperature, light, and nutrients; among these factors, balanced nutrient supply is particularly important [3][4][5][6]. On the other hand, obvious symptoms of Mg deficiency frequently occur in such a system, especially in rapid-growth stages due to imbalanced fertilization or an unfavorable root environment, which causes negative impacts on vegetable yield and quality [7][8][9]. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance Mg supply for optimal plant physiological functions in this system.…”