Organic fertilizer enhances rice growth in severe saline–alkali soil by increasing soil bacterial diversity

The northeast region of China is an important grain‐growing area. However, severe soil salinization in the region impairs plant production. In the present study, organic fertilizer application (composted poultry manure) was evaluated as a potential strategy for remediating saline–alkali soil and promoting rice growth. Following continuous organic fertilizer application for 4 years, the contents of basic cations, including sodium (Na+) and chlorine cations (Cl−), decreased significantly (p