Assessment of Acidic Biochar on the Growth, Physiology and Nutrients Uptake of Maize (Zea mays L.) Seedlings under Salinity Stress

Mukesh Kumar Soothar,Mahendar Kumar Sootahar,Saleem Maseeh Bhatti,Gao Yang,Adama Traore,Jingsheng Sun,Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani

doi:10.3390/su13063150

Abstract

The application of an acidic biochar can improve plant growth and soil properties in saline conditions. In this study, we investigated the effect of acidic biochar on plant growth and nutrients contents in saline soil. Seven treatments were arranged in a complete randomized design, including control (CK), 0, 30, and 45 g biochar added to a soil having 1% and 1.5% salts; these treatments were termed as B0S1, B30S1, B45S1 and B0S1.5, B30S1.5, B45S1.5 respectively. Experimental results showed that the plant height, leaves plant−1, leaf area, and shoot fresh and dry biomass, and root fresh and dry biomass were increased for the B45S1.5, respectively. Similarly, the highest total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), and total sodium (Na) concentration in maize shoot were observed for B30S1, B0S1.5, CK, and B0S1.5, respectively. The highest concentrations of TN, TP, TK, and Na in root were obtained with the treatments B0S1, B0S1, B45S1, and B0S1, respectively. Soil pH, and EC decreased and nutrients concentration improved by the addition of acidic biochar. We conclude that the use of acidic biochar can be a potential source for the improvement of maize plant growth as well as mitigate the adverse effect of salt stress.

Highlights

Salt stress has become an environmental constraint to crop productivity in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world
The growth parameters of maize seedlings, including plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, shoot fresh and dry weight of maize seedlings were significantly affected by the addition of biochar, especially the treatments B30 S1 and B45 S1 compared to control (CK)
Biochar addition had an insignificant effect on soil electrical conductivity (EC), total potassium (TK), and Na under salt stress at

Summary

Introduction

Salt stress has become an environmental constraint to crop productivity in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. It is one of the abiotic stresses for plant growth and development, which causes a reduction in the yield [1]. Some of the effects in various crops include inhibition in leaf expansion, photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, plant height, leaf area index, seed production, plant biomass and yield, uptake of water, and essential nutrients [3,6,7,8]. Salinity and alkalinity problems are most likely to occur under irrigated soils in arid and semi-arid regions. The alkalinity of soil confined the plant growth and reduced the yield of maize [12]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion