The Impact of Lignite and Wheat Straw Biochar Application on Structural Traits of Pot-Grown Nitraria Schoberi L. and Soil Properties

Abstract

Applying proper soil amendments in arid and semi-arid areas improves soil quality and promotes plant growth. Lignite and Wheat Straw Biochar (WSB) are soil amendments that can be used to improve soil quality and plant productivity. Nitraria Schoberi L. is a halophyte shrub from Nitrariaceae family that is planted in degraded rangelands for forage production and soil conservation. In this research, we investigated the effects of lignite and WSB on structural traits (e.g., height, crown diameter, area and volume, leaf area, perimeter, etc.) of N. Schoberi and soil properties. The lignite and WSB amendments were applied at rates of 0, 1.25, 2.5, and 3.75% (weight/weight) in six replications. The experiment was conducted in pots inside a greenhouse. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way and two-way analyses of variance using the SPSS21 statistical software. Our results revealed that lignite and WSB amendments significantly improved soil properties and increased structural traits of the N. Schoberi. Trait enhancement was considerably increased by incorporating a larger ratio of amendments to soil during the experiment. In particular, we found that an application of 3.75% (w/w) of both amendments among the ones tested provided the best rate to reach the largest improvement in soil properties and the largest growth of N. Schoberi. The results demonstrated that lignite and WSB can be used to enhance soil chemical and biological properties to promote the productivity of N. Schoberi. Our results suggest that the application of lignite and WSB effectively improved poor soil properties in the studied clay loam solonchak rangeland soil. We recommend incorporating these amendments in the restoration of rangelands with alkaline soils using N. Schoberi.