Phosphorus Use Efficiency and Soil–Plant Responses to Organomineral Phosphate Fertilizers in Maize and Bean Crops: A Systematic Review

Phosphorus (P) is one of the most important nutrients to plants, but its bioavailability in agricultural soils is often limited by its low mobility and strong fixation in soil colloids, thus reducing crop productivity and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE). Organomineral fertilizers (OMFs) have been proposed as an alternative to increase the agronomic efficiency of P and promote sustainable soil–plant interactions. In this systematic review, we synthesized scientific evidence on the effects of OMFs on PUE, plant physiological responses, and soil attributes in maize and bean crops. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and included studies published between 2015 and 2025, retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SciELO, and Google Scholar. Selected studies compared organomineral phosphate fertilizers with conventional mineral sources and reported outcomes related to PUE, plant performance, or soil attributes. OMFs were generally associated with improved crop growth and increased soil P availability. However, despite frequent comparisons between OMFs and mineral fertilizers, few researchers quantitatively calculated PUE using robust metrics. Plant physiological responses were also poorly explored and, when assessed, were mainly restricted to chlorophyll indices. In addition, the soil microbiome was evaluated in only a few studies, highlighting a major gap in integrated soil–plant–microorganism research.