# The Effect of Slow-Release Fertilizer on the Growth of Garlic Sports and the Soil Environment
## 3 Results and Analysis
### The Effects of Different Treatment Groups on Soil Nutrients
Dehydrogenases and cellulases contribute to the decomposition of organic matter, thereby facilitating magnesium release. Arylsulfatase plays a direct role in the mineralization of organic sulfur, converting it into sulfate ions that are readily available to plants. The activity of these enzymes is strongly influenced by the soil's microbial communities, pH levels, and organic matter content. Enhancing enzyme activity--through the application of organic fertilizers or the optimization of microbial populations--can improve the availability of potassium, magnesium, and sulfur, ultimately promoting nutrient uptake by crops. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline  & **CK** & **T1** & **T2** & **T3** \\ \hline pH & 7.42 \(\pm\) 0.01 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 7.16 \(\pm\) 0.04 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 6.75 \(\pm\) 0.02 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 6.88 \(\pm\) 0.03 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ Total K (g/kg) & 17.30 \(\pm\) 0.10 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 18.23 \(\pm\) 0.18 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 17.55 \(\pm\) 0.12 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) & 17.62 \(\pm\) 0.21 \({}^{\text{ab}}\) \\ Total P (g/kg) & 0.53 \(\pm\) 0.07 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.53 \(\pm\) 0.01 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.54 \(\pm\) 0.02 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 0.53 \(\pm\) 0.02 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ Available K (mg/kg) & 80.02 \(\pm\) 3.94 \({}^{\text{d}}\) & 691.80 \(\pm\) 5.31 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 338.45 \(\pm\) 7.50 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 788.92 \(\pm\) 4.01 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ Available P (mg/kg) & 9.06 \(\pm\) 0.33 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 9.57 \(\pm\) 0.51 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 16.58 \(\pm\) 0.47 \({}^{\text{a}}\) & 17.43 \(\pm\) 0.50 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ Organic matter (g/kg) & 2.66 \(\pm\) 0.26 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 2.65 \(\pm\) 0.21 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 3.30 \(\pm\) 0.14 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 5.56 \(\pm\) 0.35 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ Available S (mg/kg) & 63.25 \(\pm\) 2.57 \({}^{\text{d}}\) & 532.3 \(\pm\) 6.56 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 323.25 \(\pm\) 2.91 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 548.03 \(\pm\) 7.80 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ Interchangeable Mg (mg/kg) & 1.91 \(\pm\) 0.13 \({}^{\text{d}}\) & 3.52 \(\pm\) 0.07 \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 2.73 \(\pm\) 0.21 \({}^{\text{b}}\) & 3.88 \(\pm\) 0.14 \({}^{\text{a}}\) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* The different superscripted letters represent a significant difference between different treatments (\(p<0.05\)).  
\end{table} 
Table 3: The influence of different treatment groups on the soil’s chemical properties. To comprehensively evaluate the effects of different fertilization treatments on the soil's chemical properties, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using seven soil nutrient parameters and pH values from the four treatment groups. As illustrated in the two-dimensional PCA plot (Figure 6), the first and second principal components together accounted for the majority of the variation among the treatments. The cumulative contribution of the first two components reached 79.3%, with PC1 explaining 56.1% of the total variance. This component is primarily associated with exchangeable magnesium, total potassium, available sulfur, available potassium, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, and organic matter. PC2 explains 23.2% of the variance and is mainly associated with pH. Exchangeable magnesium is essential for chlorophyll synthesis, and magnesium deficiency can cause yellowing in older leaves and reduced photosynthetic efficiency. Fast-acting potassium regulates osmotic pressure and sugar transport, thereby influencing the stress resistance and bulb enlargement of garlic seedlings. Potassium deficiency results in scorched leaf margins and yield reduction. Available sulfur is involved in the synthesis of allicin and proteins; its deficiency may cause yellowing in new leaves and a weakened flavor. Total and available phosphorus contribute to root development and energy metabolism, while phosphorus deficiency leads to stunted growth and reduced tillering.