Use of biochar for alleviating negative impact of salinity stress in corn grown in arid soil

Abstract

Tremendous benefits of biochar (BC) amendment to soil have been reported, including their role in alleviating the impact of salinity stress in plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of BC produced at 300 °C (BC300) and 700 °C (BC700) on the germination rate (GR) and selected growth characteristics of corn plants irrigated with salinized water over a growth period of 6 weeks. The experimental treatments included three biochar treatments: BC0 (control, without biochar addition), BC300, and BC700. The treatments also included three salinity levels of irrigation water: 0, 3, and 6 dS·m−1. The biochar was applied at a rate of 3%. The GR decreased with increasing salinity level, which was more evident in the first week. This stress impact was reduced when treated with the BC700 relative to the saline treatments without BC. Both BC treatments demonstrated contrasting effects on corn growth, nutrient uptake, and Na+ and K+ content in plant tissue. The effect of BC700 treatment on plant height and root length was limited, but the impact of salinity stress on chlorophyll meter readings, chlorophyll fluorescence parameter (Fv/Fm), dry matter yield, and N and P uptake were largely mitigated. It also increased K+ and decreased Na+ content in plant tissue. However, the BC300 treatment adversely affected plant growth parameters at each salinity level. Overall, the BC produced at a higher temperature significantly alleviated the impact of salinity stress on plant growth characteristics, which is probably attributed to their higher surface area and porosity, enhancing their salt ion sorption capacity.