Germination Index Research Articles

A Hydroponic Approach to Evaluate Morpho-physiological and Biochemical Responses of Kodo Millet (Paspalum Scrobiculatum) Genotypes Against Calcium Chloride Stress

Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) belongs to the family Poaceae, and is locally known as rice grass, ditch millet and cow grass. Kodo millet is one of the small grain cereals with an ability to tolerate the biotic and abiotic stresses. Soil salinity is one of the major stresses especially in arid and semi-arid regions leads to reduced yields. Some of the millet species have developed adaptive mechanism to overcome the salinity stress and hence, thorough screening of the germplasm through hydroponics or field testing is essential to identify the potential genotypes. Plant response of salinity stress towards morphological, physiological, biochemical features have been delineated. In our work we studied the morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of six genotypes of kodo millet (IPS 145, IPS 610, IPS 351, IC 382888, IPS 583 and IC 426676) against CaCl2 salinity through hydroponic experiment. Germinated seeds were grown in beakers supplemented with Hoagland nutrient solution containing CaCl2 (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) for about 120 hours and the data was collected for every 18 hours interval on root length, shoot length, Germination Index (GI), Germination Energy (GE), Seedling Vigour Index (SVI), Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), Peroxidase (POD) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) . Among all the varieties IC 426676 and IPS 583 showed highest CaCl2 concentration when compared to other genotypes.

Response of Winter Canola Varieties to Boron Stress during Germination and Seedling Growth Stage

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of boron concentrations on germination and seedling growth of winter canola varieties under laboratory conditions. Seeds of four winter canola varieties (KWS Cyrill CL, Miranda, PT264, and NK Caravel) were germinated between papers with different boron levels (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg B L-1) consisting of sodium borate (Na2B8O13.4H2O) at 20°C for 7 days. The germination percentage, mean germination time, germination index, seedling growth parameters, and dry matter were measured. The results showed that germination percentage, mean germination time, and germination index were negatively affected by increasing B concentrations. When B levels increased, root and shoot lengths and weights were also inhibited, while the responses of canola varieties differed. B levels had a significant effect on shoot length, which decreased from 5.15 cm to 1.82 cm and root length from 4.99 cm to 2.59 cm. Under boron stress, KWS Cyrill CL germinated higher and developed longer roots and shoots. Differences in both germination and seedling growth among canola cultivars were observed at 80 mg B L-1 and higher. It was concluded that there was a genotypic variation among canola varieties concerning boron toxicity and that KWS Cyrill CL was more tolerant to high boron concentrations than the other varieties.

THE EVALUATION OF COMPOSTED FOOD WASTE EFFECTS IN CONSERVING AND ENHANCING GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF AZOLLA PINNATA

Compost has a significant conservation benefit for soils by increasing organic matter levels and enhancing soil fertility, thus positively influencing plant growth. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of utilizing different types of composted food waste to improve the growth performance of Azolla Pinnata. Composting mixed food waste (MFW), vegetable waste (VW), and fruit waste (FW) was conducted using the Takakura Composting Method, incorporating effective microorganisms (EM). Analysis of pH, temperature, moisture content, nutrient content (TN, TP, K), and heavy metal concentrations were done throughout the 30-day composting process. The Germination Index (GI) and Compost Quality Index (CQI) were employed to evaluate compost quality and phytotoxicity levels. Results demonstrated that all composted food waste samples met the criteria for high-quality compost, except for slight residual phytotoxicity observed in FW (GI of 79.3%). Notably, the integration of Azolla Pinnata with composted food waste significantly influenced the growth performance (biomass, relative growth rate and doubling time), with the most substantial enhancements of doubling time achieved using MFW treatments (1.94 days), followed by FW (2.02 days) and VW (2.07 days). This research underscores the potential for Azolla Pinnata integrated with composted food waste as a chemical-free fertilizer, offering promise for conservation efforts and sustainable agricultural practices.

Combined Effects of Drought and Low Temperature on Germination and Seedling Growth of Melon Cultivars

The study aimed to determine the effects of drought (0.0, -2.0, -4.0, and -6.0 bar PEG 6000) and low temperature (18°C) on the germination and early seedling growth of three melon cultivars (Kırkağaç 589, Hasanbey 1, and Toros Sarıbal). Germination percentage, mean germination time, germination index, root length, shoot length, fresh and dry weight of the seedling, and vigor index of the melon cultivars were investigated. The results showed significant effects of low temperature and drought stress on the germination and seedling growth of melon cultivars. As temperature decreased and drought increased, the germination percentage decreased, and mean germination time was delayed. Drought stress led to a decrease in germination percentage, index, and all investigated seedling growth parameters, while the response of melon cultivars to drought stress varied. Seedling growth was more affected by low temperature than germination. Low temperature decreased germination percentage from 87.2% to 63.7% and seedling fresh weight from 140 mg/plant to 64 mg/plant. Each increase in drought levels resulted in a decrease in germination and seedling growth parameters of melon cultivars. Any seedling growth was not observed in Hasanbey 1 and Toros Sarıbal at -6.0 bar at 18°C. Melon cultivars showed different levels of tolerance to drought stress during germination and seedling growth stages, while they could maintain it up to -4.0 bar. It was concluded that Kırkağaç 589 germinated and grew better under drought stress at both optimum and low temperatures.

Effects of aeration modes and rates on nitrogen conversion and bacterial community in composting of dehydrated sludge and corn straw.

Aeration is an important factor to regulate composting efficiency and nitrogen loss. This study is aimed to compare the effects of different aeration modes (continuous and intermittent) and aeration rate on nitrogen conversion and bacterial community in composting from dehydrated sludge and corn straw. Results showed that the intermittent aeration mode at same aeration volume was superior to the continuous aeration mode in terms of NH3 emission reduction, nitrogen conversion and germination index (GI) improvement. Intermittent aeration mode with 1200 L/h (aeration 5 min, stop 15 min) [K5T15 (V1200)] and 300 L/h of continuous aeration helped to the conservation of nitrogen fractions and accelerate the composting process. However, it was most advantageous to use 150 L/h of continuous aeration to reduce NH3 emission and ensure the effective composting process. The aeration mode K5T15 (V1200) showed the fastest temperature rise, the longer duration of thermophilic stage and the highest GI (95%) in composting. The cumulative NH3 emission of intermittent aeration mode was higher than continuous aeration mode. The cumulative NH3 emission of V300 was 23.1% lower than that of K5T15 (V1200). The dominant phyla in dehydrated sludge and corn straw composting were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. The dominant phylum in the thermophilic stage was Firmicutes (49.39%~63.13%), and the dominant genus was Thermobifida (18.62%~30.16%). The relative abundance of Firmicutes was greater in the intermittent aeration mode (63.13%) than that in the continuous aeration mode (57.62%), and Pseudomonas was dominant in composting with lower aeration rate and the lowest NH3 emission. This study suggested that adjustment to the aeration mode and rate could affect core bacteria to reduce the nitrogen loss and accelerate composting process.

Effect of Seed Priming on Germination Behavior and Emergence of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of different priming treatments on the germination, seedling emergence, speed of emergence, vigour index, seedling length, and seedling fresh weight of wheat seeds at the School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bangladesh Open University, Gazipur, from November to December 2022. Four treatments: Hydro Prime (T1), 2% KCl (T2), 1% KNO3 (T3), and 10% PGE-6000 (T4) were administered, and assessments were conducted Following two intervals viz., 12 and 24 hours of priming. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) followed by four replications. Notably, 2% KCl consistently demonstrated the highest germination rates, reaching 97.50% after 24 hours of priming. 1% KNO3 also performed well, outclassing other treatments in enhancing germination rates. While Hydro Prime generally exhibited lower germination rates and remained respectable. In terms of emergence, 1% KNO3 consistently showed the highest rates, followed by 10% PGE-6000 and 2% KCl. Hydro Prime displayed lower emergence rates, particularly at the 12-hours. The speed of emergence increased for all treatments, with 2% KCL consistently outperforming others, reaching 45.55% after 24 hours. Longer priming durations consistently resulted in higher vigour index values, with 2% KCL exhibiting the highest at 11.40 after 24 hours. The impact on seedling length varied; 1% KNO3 was most effective after 24 hours, reaching 25.27 cm, while 10% PGE-6000 excelled after 12 hours at 26.92 cm. 1% KNO3 also yielded the highest seedling fresh weight (0.23 gm) after 24 hours, with 2% KCl showing significant increases (0.21 gm). Hydro Prime consistently demonstrated the lowest weights. From the present study, it may be concluded that 2% KCL and 24 hours of seed priming is useful to achieve uniform germination, seedling emergence, and vigour index in wheat.

Carbon Monoxide Alleviates Salt-Induced Oxidative Damage in Sorghum bicolor by Inducing the Expression of Proline Biosynthesis and Antioxidant Genes.

Crop growth and yield are affected by salinity, which causes oxidative damage to plant cells. Plants respond to salinity by maintaining cellular osmotic balance, regulating ion transport, and enhancing the expression of stress-responsive genes, thereby inducing tolerance. As a byproduct of heme oxygenase (HO)-mediated degradation of heme, carbon monoxide (CO) regulates plant responses to salinity. This study investigated a CO-mediated salt stress tolerance mechanism in sorghum seedlings during germination. Sorghum seeds were germinated in the presence of 250 mM NaCl only, or in combination with a CO donor (1 and 1.5 μM hematin), HO inhibitor (5 and 10 μM zinc protoporphyrin IX; ZnPPIX), and hemoglobin (0.1 g/L Hb). Salt stress decreased the germination index (47.73%) and root length (74.31%), while hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (193.5%), and proline (475%) contents increased. This increase correlated with induced HO (137.68%) activity and transcripts of ion-exchanger and antioxidant genes. Salt stress modified vascular bundle structure, increased metaxylem pit size (42.2%) and the Na+/K+ ratio (2.06) and altered primary and secondary metabolites. However, exogenous CO (1 μM hematin) increased the germination index (63.01%) and root length (150.59%), while H2O2 (21.94%) content decreased under salt stress. Carbon monoxide further increased proline (147.62%), restored the vascular bundle structure, decreased the metaxylem pit size (31.2%) and Na+/K+ ratio (1.46), and attenuated changes observed on primary and secondary metabolites under salt stress. Carbon monoxide increased HO activity (30.49%), protein content, and antioxidant gene transcripts. The alleviatory role of CO was abolished by Hb, whereas HO activity was slightly inhibited by ZnPPIX under salt stress. These results suggest that CO elicited salt stress tolerance by reducing oxidative damage through osmotic adjustment and by regulating the expression of HO1 and the ion exchanger and antioxidant transcripts.

Effects of adding exogenous microorganisms on nitrogen conversion and its mechanism of action in pig carcass composting

This study aimed to reveal mechanisms of nitrogen changes in a mixed compost of diseased pig carcasses and sawdust after adding exogenous microbial agents. It was found that adding exogenous microbial agents significantly increased the content of various types of nitrogen and the germination index of plants. Microbial dominance of phyla was significantly correlated with indicators of physicochemical properties and copy number of nitrogen-functional genes, with simultaneous nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, ammonification, and glutamate synthesis during composting. At the end of composting, TKN, NH4+-N, and NO3−-N contents were increased by 1.914–3.082 mg/g, 0.047–0.42 mg/g, and 0.247–0.303 mg/g, respectively, in the experimental groups compared to the control group. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Planctomycetes were the five predominant phyla, while Sphingobacterium, and Paenalcaligenes were the two special genera in this experiment. After inoculation with exogenous microbial agents, the levels of nitrate nitrogen were significantly and positively correlated (p < 0.05) with the number of Bacteroidetes, the glnA gene was positively related (p < 0.01) with Planctomycetes, and the amoA, GDH2, and GLUD1-2 genes were positively related (p < 0.05) with Paenalcaligenes. The combined analysis has shown that amoA gene was positively related (p < 0.001) with genes such as nxrA, GDH2 and GLUD1-2, as well as indicators of physicochemical properties such as temperature, organic nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen, while the correlation was negative with genes such as nirB and nirS. Inoculation with exogenous microbial agents can significantly prolong the high-temperature period, which was extended by 5, 6, and 5 days in each experimental group, and the roles of nitrogen-functional genes can also be changed. Meanwhile, we found that the addition of exogenous microbial agents could promote the growth and alteration of microorganisms, which regulated the stability and symbiosis of the nitrogen transformation process.

Grape Skin Composting Process to Recycle Food Waste: Kinetics and Optimization.

Within the various approaches to organic waste handling, composting has been recognized as an acceptable method to valorize organic waste. Composting is an aerobic technique of microbial disruption of organic matter which results with compost as a final product. To guarantee the quality of the compost, key process factors (like the moisture content, temperature, pH, and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) must be maintained. In order to optimize the process, nine composting trials using grape skins were conducted in the present study under various initial moisture content and air flow rate conditions over the course of 30 days. The processes were monitored through physicochemical variables and microbiological activity. Also, the kinetics of the organic matter degradation and microbial growth were investigated. Although the thermophile phase was only achieved in experiments 3 and 8, the important variables proved the efficiency of all nine composting processes. The organic carbon content and C/N ratio decreased after the 30 days of composting processes and a great color change was noticed too. The values for the germination index for all experiments were above 80%, which means that the final products are non-toxic for plants. Also, the greatest change in organic carbon content in was evident in experiment 3; it decreased from 71.57 to 57.31%. And consequently, the rate of degradation for that experiment was the highest, at 0.0093 1/day. Furthermore, the response surface methodology was used to identify optimal operating conditions for grape skin composting and the obtained conditions were 58.15% for the initial moisture content and 1.0625 L/min for the air flow rate.

Synthesis and Evaluation of New Phytotoxic Fluorinated Chalcones as Photosystem II and Seedling Growth Inhibitors.

The development of novel phytotoxic compounds has been an important aim of weed control research. In this study, we synthesized fluorinated chalcone derivatives featuring both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. These compounds were evaluated both as inhibitors of the photosystem II (PSII) electron chain as well as inhibitors of the germination and seedling growth of Amaranthus plants. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence assay was employed to evaluate their effects on PSII, while germination experiments were conducted to assess their impact on germination and seedling development. The results revealed promising herbicidal activity for (E)-3-(4-bromophenyl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (7 a) and (E)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one (7 e). Compounds 7 a and 7 e exhibited a reduction in Chl a parameters associated with performance indexes and electron transport per reaction center. This reduction suggests a decrease in PSII activity, attributed to the blockage of electron flow at the quinone pool. Molecular docking analyses of chalcone derivatives with the D1 protein of PSII revealed a stable binding conformation, wherein the carbonyl and fluorine groups interacted with Phe265 and His215 residues, respectively. Additionally, at a concentration of 100 μM, compound 7 e demonstrated pre- and post-emergent herbicidal activity, resulting in a reduction of the seed germination index, radicle and hypocotyl lengths of Amaranthus weeds.

Effects of micro-nano bubble water addition on maturation degree and microbial community during aerobic composting

In order to explore the effects of micro-nano bubble water (MNBW) on compost maturation and the microbial community in cow manure and straw during aerobic composting, we conducted composting tests using tap water with 12 mg/L (O12), 15 mg/L (O15), 18 mg/L (O18), and 21 mg/L (O21) dissolved oxygen in MNBW, as well as tap water with 9 mg/L dissolved oxygen as a control (CK). The results showed that O21 increased the maximum compost temperature to 64 °C, which was higher than the other treatments. All treatments met the harmless standards for compost. The seed germination index (GI) was largest under O21 and 15.1% higher than that under CK, and the non-toxic compost degree was higher. Redundancy analysis showed that the temperature, C/N, pH, and GI were important factors that affected the microbial community composition. The temperature, C/N, and pH were significantly positively correlated with Firmicutes and Actinobacteria (p < 0.05). Firmicutes was the dominant phylum in the mesophilic stage (2–6 days) and it accounted for a large proportion under O21, where the strong thermophilic metabolism increased the production of heat and prolonged the high temperature period. The bacterial genus Ammoniibacillus in Firmicutes accounted for a large proportion under O21 and it accelerated the decomposition of substrates. Therefore, the addition of MNBW changed the microbial community to affect the maturation of the compost, and the quality of the compost was higher under O21.

Putative Spatiotemporal Changes in Inhibitor Activity during Cold Stratification of Sapium sebiferum Seeds

Putative Spatiotemporal Changes in Inhibitor Activity during Cold Stratification of Sapium sebiferum Seeds

Changes in Metabolites and Allelopathic Effects of Non-Pigmented and Black-Pigmented Lowland Indica Rice Varieties in Phosphorus Deficiency

Phosphorus (P) levels alter the allelopathic activity of rice seedlings against lettuce seeds. In this study, we investigated the effect of P deficiency on the allelopathic potential of non-pigmented and pigmented rice varieties. Rice seedlings of the white variety Khao Dawk Mali (KDML105, non-pigmented) and the black varieties Jao Hom Nin (JHN, pigmented) and Riceberry (RB, pigmented) were cultivated under high P (HP) and low P (LP) conditions. Morphological and metabolic responses to P deficiency were investigated. P deficiency inhibited shoot growth but promoted root growth of rice seedlings in all three varieties. Moreover, P deficiency led to decreased cytosolic phosphate (Pi) and total P concentrations in both shoot and root tissues. The subsequent reduction in internal P concentration enhanced the accumulation of phenolic compounds in both shoot and root tissues of the seedlings. Subsequently, allelopathy-based inter- and intra-specific interactions were assessed using water extracts from seedlings of the three varieties grown under HP and LP conditions. These extracts were tested on seeds of lettuce, the weed Dactyloctenium aegyptium, and the same rice variety. The shoot and root extracts from P-deficient seedlings reduced the germination of all recipient plants. Specifically, the shoot extract from P-deficient KDML105 seedlings reduced the germination index (GI) of lettuce seeds to 1%, while those from P-deficient RB and JHN seedlings produced GIs of 32% and 42%, respectively. However, when rice seeds were exposed to their own LP shoot and root extracts, their GIs increased up to 4-fold, compared with the HP extracts. Additionally, the shoot extracts from P-deficient plants also stimulated the germination of D. aegyptium by about 2–3-fold, whereas the root extracts did not have this effect. Therefore, P starvation led to the accumulation and exudation of phenolics in the shoots and roots of rice seedlings, altering their allelopathic activities. To adapt to P deficiency, rice seedlings potentially release signaling chemicals to suppress nearby competing species while simultaneously promoting their own germination and growth.

Optimized decolorization of two poly azo dyes Sirius Red and Sirius Blue using laccase-mediator system.

Factors, namely pH, laccase-like activity, dyes concentration as well as 1-Hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) concentration was examined. The results indicated that the maximum decolorization yield and rate reached 98.30 ± 0.10% and 5.84 ± 0.01%/min, respectively for Sirius Blue, and 99.34 ± 0.47% and 5.85 ± 0.12%/min, respectively for Sirius Red after 4h. The presence of the redox mediator 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) greatly improved the decolorization levels. The optimum concentrations of HBT, dyes, and laccase were 0.62mM, 50mg/L, and 0.89 U/mL respectively at pH 4.58 for both dyes. Phytotoxicity tests using treated and untreated dyes proved that the applied treatment slightly decreased the toxicity of the by-products. However, the germination index (GI) increased from 14.6 to 36.08% and from 31.6 to 36.96% for Sirius Red and Sirius Blue, respectively. The present study focused on the treatment of two recalcitrant azo dyes, namely: Sirius Blue (Direct Blue 71) and Sirius Red (Direct Red 80). The decolorization was performed using cell-free supernatant from Coriolopsis gallica culture with high laccase activity. Response surface methodology (RSM) and Box-Behnken design were applied to optimize the decolorization of the two tested dyes. The effect of four.

The effect of sodium nitroprusside levels on germination indices and antioxidant enzyme activity in soybean (Glycine max) seedlings under accelerated aging test

The effect of sodium nitroprusside levels on germination indices and antioxidant enzyme activity in soybean (Glycine max) seedlings under accelerated aging test

The effect of chitosan priming on germination indices and biochemical characteristics of French bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Sadri) under salinity stress

The effect of chitosan priming on germination indices and biochemical characteristics of French bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Sadri) under salinity stress

Evaluation of germination indices in Festuca spp. under chilling, osmo- and hormone priming

Evaluation of germination indices in Festuca spp. under chilling, osmo- and hormone priming

Effect of biochar on the metabolome of soybean seedlings

The use of biochar can have several effects on plant germination, depending on raw material, preparation method and application dose. However, the molecular mechanisms that lead to those results have yet to be elucidated. The aim of this research was to improve the understanding of these mechanisms by characterizing the metabolic effects of sugarcane bagasse biochar on soybean germination. Three types of biochars were prepared by pyrolysis at 300 ​°C (SCB300), 400 ​°C (SCB400) and 600 ​°C (SCB600). Then, each one was mixed into sand at 1%, 3%, 5% (w/w) dose, respectively. The experiment was performed in 8 days of incubation, when the number of germinated seeds and the average radicle length were determined. To evaluate the metabolome, the dry biomass (DB) was subjected to extraction with a mixture of methanol-d4 and D2O (1:1 v/v). The extracts were submitted to metabolomics analysis by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. The Relative Germination, Relative Average Radicle Growth and Germination Index increased in all treatments compared to control. On the other hand, the DB increased in all treatments, except for SCB300, at doses of 1% and 3% w/w. Seven metabolites (alanine, asparagine, acetic acid, citric acid, glycerol, fatty acids and sucrose) were identified and quantified in DB extracts as the most influential finding for the separation of treatments. Taken together, these results strongly suggested that biochars accelerated the catabolism of triacylglycerols to sucrose and induced a slight osmotic stress.

Study of Germination and Seedling Growth of Piper guineense

Natural regeneration of black pepper (Piper guineense Schumach and Thonn) through seeds is poor and cultivation by local farmers is very limited since it is usually collected from the wild. High demand has put a pressure on its population in our declining forests and a call for domestication of non-timber forest plant species is ongoing. This study identified germination requirements, germination characteristics and seedling growth of Piper guineense with a view to providing information on its propagation from seeds. There were two major pre-sowing treatments - Fresh or dry fruits or seeds. Germination and seedling growth parameters were measured for all treatments. Results showed that Piper guineense seeds undergo epigeal germination, the radicle developing into three-legged hairy rootlets. The highest percentage germination, germination rate and germination index were recorded in the treatment with fresh seeds planted in petri dish. The dry seeds and fruits recorded no germination even after 38 days of planting. For seedling growth, the developing leaves have a higher sink strength between the fourth and fifth month of development and this stage may be crucial to the growth of the seedling. Piper guineense seeds must be sown fresh for germination to take place.

Effects of Anaerobic Digestates and Biochar Amendments on Soil Health, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Microbial Communities: A Mesocosm Study

This study addresses the need for a comprehensive understanding of digestate and biochar in mitigating climate change and improving soil health, crucial for sustainable agriculture within the circular bioeconomy framework. Through a mesocosm experiment, soil was amended with digestates from pilot-scale reactors and two concentrations of biochar produced by pyrolysis of digested sewage sludge and waste wood. The Germination Index (GI) assay assessed phytotoxicity on Lactuca sativa and Triticum aestivum seeds. Greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O) measurements, soil characteristics analyses, and the study of microbial community structure enriched the study’s depth. The GI assay revealed diverse responses among by-products, dilution rates, and plant types, highlighting the potential phyto-stimulatory effects of digestate and biochar water-extracts. While digestate proved to be effective as fertilizer, concerns arose regarding microbial contamination. Biochar application reduced Clostridiaceae presence in soil but unexpectedly increased N2O emissions at higher concentrations, emphasizing the need for further research on biochar’s role in mitigating microbial impacts. CO2 emissions increased with digestate application but decreased with a 10% biochar concentration, aligning with control levels. CH4 uptake decreased with digestate and high biochar concentrations. The study underscores the importance of tailored approaches considering biochar composition and dosage to optimize soil greenhouse gas fluxes and microbial communities.