# The Effect of Slow-Release Fertilizer on the Growth of Garlic Sports and the Soil Environment
Additionally, some research indicates that SRFs possess resistance to microbial decomposition, promote soil carbon sequestration, reduce atmospheric carbon emissions, and contribute to alleviating environmental pollution [24; 25; 26]. The current research on slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) is primarily focused on improving the yield and nutrient use efficiency of major field crops such as rice, corn, and wheat [27; 28; 29; 30]. [PERSON] et al. [31] conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of slow-release fertilizers (SCRFs) on rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), as well as their environmental dependence. The results indicated that compared with conventional fertilization (CF), SCRF application significantly increased the rice yield and nitrogen uptake (NU) by 6.0% and 11.1%, respectively. Moreover, the NUE increased from 35.7% under CF to 44.9% under the SCRF treatment. A further analysis revealed that the SCRF application rate and rice variety were key factors influencing yield. Specifically, when the application rate was below approximately 80%, the rice yield declined, whereas rates above 90% significantly enhanced yields. [PERSON] [32] compared the application effects of two types of controlled-release fertilizers--sulfur-coated urea (SCU) and resin-based fertilizer (RBB)--under direct seeding and transplanting methods for Wuyunjing 23 rice during 2013-2014 field trials. The findings showed that RBB performed significantly better than SCU. Among the treatments, basal application of RBB (RBBBP) resulted in the highest yield under transplanting conditions, while basal application of RBB also achieved the best performance in direct seeding. Both types of controlled-release fertilizers enhanced the nitrogen use efficiency. [PERSON] et al. [33], through a two-year field experiment, demonstrated that the application of 360 kg N ha\({}^{-1}\) of SRF (SF360) could significantly optimize the spring maize production system. Compared to conventional fertilization at 405 kg N ha\({}^{-1}\) (CF405), SF360 reduced the nitrogen input by 11.1% while increasing the yield by 3.2%, the nitrogen use efficiency by 22.2%, and economic benefits by 17.5%. [PERSON] et al. [34] investigated the issue of late sowing in wheat production in Punjab Province, Pakistan. Their results indicated that applying sulfur-coated urea (SCU) combined with a high sowing rate of 150 kg ha\({}^{-1}\) (S3) significantly improved the performance of late-sown wheat. The SCU+S3 treatment increased the leaf area index by 0.99 cm\({}^{2}\) and plant height by 8.24% and significantly enhanced both spikelet number and spike length. Currently, limited data are available on the effects of slow-release fertilizers (SRFs) on garlic sprout growth, quality, and soil fertility, and studies investigating the influence of the soil's nutrient content on vegetable quality remain scarce. It is hypothesized that the application of SRFs combined with reduced fertilization can promote growth in garlic sprouts, enhance their quality, increase the availability of soil nutrients, improve soil fertility, and ultimately increase yield. Therefore, based on previous research, this study used a prepared slow-release fertilizer for pot experiments, added a slow-release fertilizer reduction group, and tested the impact of the slow-release fertilizer on the soil environment [35]. This study aims to investigate the effects of SRF application and fertilizer reduction on the growth performance, quality, and chemical properties of the soil. This study overcomes the limitations of the traditional research which has primarily focused on either fertilizer efficiency or environmental impact in isolation. It not only investigates the promoting effect of slow-release fertilizers on the growth of garlic seedlings but also evaluates their influence on the soil's nutrient levels and heavy metal content.