Fertilization type affects the genetic potential for phosphorus mineralization but not for phosphorus solubilization at the continental scale

<p dir="ltr">Conventional and mineral phosphorus (P) fertilizers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/face" target="_blank">face</a> depletion risks, but organo-mineral fertilization strategies can reduce P demand in crops. This study examines the long-term effects of applying manure (e.g., <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/sludge" target="_blank">sludge</a>, compost) alongside <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/mineral-fertilizers" target="_blank">mineral fertilizers</a> (NPKM) on P availability and microbial P cycling in maize and rice agroecosystems across diverse regions of China. We assessed how different fertilization strategies affect soil P availability, phosphatase activity, and the abundance of genes linked to P mineralization, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/solubilization" target="_blank">solubilization</a>, transport, and regulation. NPKM treatments significantly increased plant-available P and phosphatase activity, especially in maize, compared to inorganic (NPK) and control (CK) treatments. Enhanced P availability stemmed mainly from microbial-driven P mineralization, indicated by higher phosphatase activity and more abundant P mineralization genes, with no notable impact on P <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/solubilization" target="_blank">solubilization</a> genes across treatments. Soil pH correlated positively with P solubilization and regulatory processes, highlighting environmental factors' role in P availability and associated microbial processes. Our long-term study demonstrates that combining mineral fertilizers with manure enhances P bioavailability by stimulating microbial mineralization, thereby supporting sustainable P management in agroecosystems.</p>