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The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition02:11

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Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Author Spotlight: Unraveling the Role of Earthworms in Enhancing Mineral Weathering for CO2 Removal
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Earthworms increase plant production: a meta-analysis.

Jan Willem van Groenigen1, Ingrid M Lubbers1, Hannah M J Vos1

  • 1Department of Soil Quality, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Scientific Reports
|September 16, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Earthworms significantly boost crop yields by 25% and biomass by 23% in agroecosystems. Their positive impact on crop production is linked to nitrogen release from soil organic matter and crop residue, especially when nitrogen fertilizer use is limited.

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Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Science
  • Soil Ecology
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Feeding a growing global population sustainably requires understanding ecological factors influencing crop production.
  • Earthworms are key soil invertebrates impacting soil properties and plant growth.
  • Quantitative synthesis of earthworm effects on crop yields is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively synthesize the impact of earthworm presence on crop yield and aboveground biomass.
  • To identify factors modulating the effects of earthworms on crop production.

Main Methods:

  • Meta-analysis of existing studies on earthworm presence in agroecosystems.
  • Statistical analysis to determine average effects and influencing factors.

Main Results:

  • Earthworm presence increased crop yield by an average of 25% and aboveground biomass by 23%.
  • Positive effects were amplified by crop residue presence and earthworm density.
  • Benefits diminished with high soil nitrogen availability, suggesting nitrogen release as a primary mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Earthworms play a crucial role in enhancing crop productivity, particularly in systems with limited nitrogen fertilization.
  • Management practices that promote earthworm populations, such as residue return, can improve crop yields.
  • Earthworms offer a natural pathway to reduce the yield gap for farmers relying less on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.